Maui County Ocean Safety officers and the Department of Land and Natural Resources say crews have closed down a portion of beach in Makena Wednesday due to a shark sighting.

The sighting took place in waters off of Little Beach at 12:50 p.m.

A diver reported that an 8-foot-long Galapagos shark attacked the string of fish that he had trailing behind him.  The diver released the string and headed for shore.

Ocean Safety officers on a jet ski later found the string with some partially eaten fish still attached to it.

As a result, the area was closed from the south end of the Makena Beach & Golf Resort to the third entrance of Big Beach for two hours.

Officials reopened the beach shortly before 3:30 p.m.