A young reef shark was found dead floating in the waters of Sta. Cruz Island in Zamboanga City morning on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.

The shark was found lifeless with its head covered in what appeared to be a discarded diaper, which is believed to have caused its death.

According to Harvey Yap who uploaded a video of the sighting online, he noticed the dead shark while passing through the area on board a boat en route to Sta. Cruz Island.

He said they did not pull the shark from the water due to the strong waves.

Yap added that in his 15 years of diving in the area, this was the first time he had encountered a dead reef shark.

Yap also expressed concern over marine pollution, saying that trash such as plastics and discarded ropes continue to damage coral reefs, which are natural habitat of reef sharks.

GMA Regional TV One Mindanao is reaching out to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for a statement, as of this writing.