Updated at 9pm with Alan Deidun's comments

A large thresher shark was elevated from the sea in Ċirkewwa this afternoon after it was seen crashing against the rocks, according to witnesses.

The shark, which is not dangerous to humans, beached at around 5pm after attempts to assist it proved futile.

The police told Times of Malta that the fish was reportedly seen crashing against the rocks with the waves.

The police, officials from the Civil Protection Department, the Armed Forces of Malta and the Fisheries Department were on site trying to assist the shark.

Named for their exceptionally long, thresher-like fins, thresher sharks are active predators with the tail used as a weapon to stun prey. However, there is only one known attack against humans.

Marine biologist Alan Deidun said the thresher shark was distinguished from the bigeye thresher shark through its less conspicuous eyes, although both sported a hugely asymmetrical tail with the upper half of their caudal fin being much larger than the lower one.

The species, he said, was infrequent in Maltese waters but not unknown to fishermen, who normally caught when targeting swordfish and other pelagic species. Very often, such specimens were discarded or sold in lieu of other species to uncanny customers.

Most shark populations had declined drastically although no updated data existed to enable a full assessment, Dr Deidun said.

Thresher sharks are known to use their tail used as a weapon to stun prey. Photo: Jonathan Borg