Orange County shark sighting prompts closings of Huntington, Newport beaches

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Officials warned people to stay out of the water at two Orange County beaches following an afternoon shark sighting on Thursday.

An off-duty lifeguard, who was surfing near the jetty off the coast of Huntington Beach, reported that a shark moved in and hit his board.

The close encounter with the animal, reported to be between 6 and 8 feet long, prompted officials to close a mile-long portion of the coastline, banning all in-water activities.

While both locations were officially open late Friday morning, an advisory remained in place, with officials warning people to avoid the water until 3:30 p.m. -- 24 hours after the initial sighting.