Video: Thousands flee sea at Bondi Beach after New Year's Day shark scare

A "large" shark sighting at Bondi Beach cleared thousands of swimmers from the sea on New Year's Day.

A shark alarm was sounded to warn swimmer to get out of the water after lifeguards spotted the shark near the rocks off Bondi Beach during a routine surveillance, according to the Daily Telegraph.

7News reported that swimmers were kept out of the water for about 15 minutes, but that "it's a really hot night down here at Bondi", so swimmers were unlikely to stay out of the water for long.

YouTube/7News

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, a Westpac helicopter did a 20-minute search for the shark, but nothing showed up.

Swimmers took to Twitter to share pics and talk about the experience, with one tourist writing: "Felt like I was on the set of Jaws today when a shark decided to come make an appearance at Bondi Beach."

Swimmers may be edgier than usual after a 2.5-metre shark has recently been spotted roaming the waters of Sydney's northern beaches, and took a chunk out of a lifeguard's surfboard at Dee Why.

See the Daily Telegraph footage here:

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