Beachgoers at Can Pere Antoni were in for an unexpected sight on Friday morning when the lifeless body of a four-metre bluntnose sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus) washed up on the shore. The rare deep-sea species, already in an advanced state of decomposition, drew crowds of curious swimmers and prompted a rapid response from authorities and Palma Aquarium staff. Experts believe the female shark died following “fishing interaction”. The specimen bore a deep wound to the back of its head, consistent with a cut from a sharp object. “It’s not the first time we’ve seen this, and it won’t be the last,” said Deborah Morrison, director of the Palma Aquarium Foundation, noting similar incidents in recent years. In 2019, another female sixgill shark was discovered in Puerto Portals with its spine severed and multiple stab-like wounds. Specialists suspect the latest specimen became tangled in fishing nets and, due to its size, fishermen injured it to dispose of the body when lifting it onboard proved impossible. Bluntnose sixgill sharks are rarely seen as they inhabit depths of more than 1,000 metres. They can grow up to five metres long and weigh as much as 300 kilos. Females are especially prolific, carrying up to 100 embryos at a time, which are born measuring around 40 centimetres. The alert was raised at around 8:30 a.m. near Portixol, when a swimmer reported spotting the animal floating about 15 metres from the coast. Although the tide initially pulled the body back out to sea, it later resurfaced at Can Pere Antoni, where Palma Aquarium technicians carried out a detailed examination.