London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Aug 24, 2025

'Shark fin' spotted in River Thames near London Eye

Londoners are convinced there is a shark in the Thames after photos appeared to show a grey fin cutting through the water.

The mysterious shape was spotted in the river by Westminster, Vauxhall and Hammersmith by witnesses who shared photos of it on social media. In one shot, what looks like the shadowy outline of an animal can be seen underneath the water.

Posting a picture of the fin by the London Eye, Twitter user Yasmin Dan wrote: ‘Walked through central today and looked in the river… is that a shark in the Thames??!’

Another Twitter user by the name ‘Cam’ then replied to say they were ‘100% sure’ they had seen a moving fin close to Hammersmith Bridge.

A spokesperson for the Port of London authority was unable to confirm what the object was, stating that it could be a sea creature, but was unlikely to be a shark.

In a statement, they said: ‘The photos we have seen are not very clear. The dark object could well be a piece of debris or driftwood.

‘None of our teams have reported an animal in the river today. However we cannot give a definitive view either way from that photo. If anyone spots anything similar do please let us know!

‘A shark is however very unlikely – though species like the dog fish and smooth hound have been seen further out in the Thames Estuary.

‘However, if it is the dorsal fin of an animal, it is more likely to be that of a small cetacean such as a harbour porpoise. These are not uncommon in the Thames and have been spotted in central London on many occasions.’

In 2006 a five-metre long northern bottlenose whale was discovered in the Thames. A rescue operation was then launched after the creature was beached several times due to the shallow depths of the river.

Sadly the whale, a young female, did not survive the rescue and it was later revealed she was suffering from dehydration, muscle damage and kidney failure.

Last year two whales were both found dead in the water, two weeks apart. The first whale, a humpback nicknamed Hessy, died after being hit by a ship.

The second whale then washed up near Gravesend, less than five miles from where Hessy had been pulled from the water.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
Trump Called Viktor Orbán: "Why Are You Using the Veto"
Horror in the Skies: Plane Engine Exploded, Passengers Sent Farewell Messages
MSNBC Rebrands as MS NOW Amid Comcast’s Cable Spin-Off
AI in Policing: Draft One Helps Speed Up Reports but Raises Legal and Ethical Concerns
Shame in Norway: Crown Princess’s Son Accused of Four Rapes
Apple Begins Simultaneous iPhone 17 Production in India and China
A Robot to Give Birth: The Chinese Announcement That Shakes the World
Finnish MP Dies by Suicide in Parliament Building
Outrage in the Tennis World After Jannik Sinner’s Withdrawal Storm
William and Kate Are Moving House – and the New Neighbors Were Evicted
Class Action Lawsuit Against Volkswagen: Steering Wheel Switches Cause Accidents
×