Don't go in the water! Florida beachgoers watch in horror as sharks are spotted swimming just FEET from the shore 

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Florida beachgoers who were cooling down in the mid-afternoon sun on Monday afternoon were sent fleeing from the sea in terror after spotting sharks swimming just feet away from the shore.

Dozens of men, women and children were frolicking in the ocean at Jacksonville Beach shortly before 3pm when someone noticed a shark fin gliding along the shore in 'knee-deep' water.

After the person alerted other beachgoers to the sighting, there was a mad frenzy as everyone ran out of the water for their lives. Shortly after, another shark fin was spotted near Jacksonville Pier.

The fin is believed to have belonged to another shark. Although the creatures appeared to be six-foot-long bull sharks, this is yet to be confirmed by authorities. No injuries were reported.

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Sighting: Florida beachgoers who were cooling down in the mid-afternoon sun on Monday afternoon were sent fleeing from the ocean in terror after spotting sharks swimming just feet away from the shore (one pictured)

Drawing a crowd: Shortly before 3pm, someone noticed a shark fin gliding along the shore at Jacksonville Beach in 'knee-deep' water. A few minutes later, another shark fin was spotted near the pier (pictured)

Minutes after the sightings, some beachgoers headed back into the water to take a closer look at the sharks. Many took photos and videos of the shark's fins on their phones, according to News 4 Jax. 

Speaking to the news station, Admir Osmanovic said he was playing soccer on the beach when he saw 'everybody' turn to look toward the ocean. 'I'm like, "What's everybody looking at?", he said.

'Then I turn around and I see just everybody running, and there's a shark. It's about a 6-foot shark.'

Mr Osmanovic added that although beachgoers had been terrified at first, many had proceeded to venture back into the water 'to check out' the marine animals, which he described as 'awesome'.

'Everybody is coming to the water, we're checking it out, we're pretty close to it,' he said. It was pretty cool, you know. First time ever seeing a shark in 15 years living in Jacksonville. I liked it.'  

Frenzy: After the person who saw the first shark fin alerted other beachgoers to the sighting, there was a mad frenzy as everyone ran out of the water. Above, beachgoers are pictured on the shore after the sightings

Catch: It is believed that a fisherman could be responsible for at least one of the sharks after catching and releasing a bull shark into the water on Monday afternoon. Above, this is thought to be the released bull shark

On Monday evening, people across Florida were taking to social media to express their shock at beachgoers' photos of the sharks, one of which was posted on the news station's Twitter feed. 

A man named Andre tweeted in horror: 'We were right under the pier', while a user called Conor wrote: 'And everybody wonders why I don't go in the water.' Another simply said: 'Holy s***.'

It is believed that a fisherman could be responsible for at least one of the sharks after apparently catching and releasing a bull shark into water near Jacksonville Beach on Monday afternoon. 

Although the creatures appeared to be six-foot-long bull sharks (file picture), this is yet to be confirmed

Shark attack: The sharks were spotted at Jacksonville Beach (left) on Monday afternoon. Right, In 2005, Jamie Marie Daigle, of Gonzales, Louisiana, was killed by a bull shark around 100 yards off Florida's Gulf Coast

In the 133 years between 1882 to 2015, there have been 717 shark attacks and 11 fatalities in Florida. Most of the attacks have occurred in the months of July, August, September and October.

In 2005, Jamie Marie Daigle, of Gonzales, Louisiana, was killed by a bull shark around 100 yards off Florida's Gulf Coast after she and her friend Felicia Venable, 14, saw a dark shadow in the water.

The shark tore away the flesh on one of Jamie's legs from her hip to her knee. Shark experts said at the time the size of the bite indicated she was attacked by a bull shark as long as eight feet.