Video: Drone captures shark stealthily swimming near people in Florida

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - As people were hanging out and playing in the water at a beach in Florida last week, a shark was captured in drone footage swimming not far from them, who may have been completely unaware.

Viewer Robert Russ said in an email to FOX 35 News that he and his brother located the shark – potentially a six- to seven-foot Blacktip shark – on Thursday at Daytona Beach, which is northeast of Orlando. He said the shark swam from the local boardwalk to about a mile and a half north.

"It swam towards multiple people before realizing they were not food and moving on. It was unnerving at moments to watch this since there are quite a few people bitten here, but confirms they are generally unintentional bites," he wrote.

In the video, two swimmers appear to see the drone and wave at it as the shark appears to be mere feet from where they are. The shark seems to look in their direction before eventually swimming away. 

(Photos via Blake Russ)

(Photo via Blake Russ)

Last month in Volusia County – Florida's so-called "shark bite capital of the world" – reported its sixth shark attack this year, with three of those bites happening within the same month. 

August and September are the two months historically known for the most shark attacks and the vast majority of them happen on the coast of Volusia County, according to Florida’s Shark Attack File.

Beach rescue said visitors should make sure to swim near a lifeguard and also advises to not swim alone.