Hotel said the staff involved with the incident 'will face appropriate action'

The men and other tourists and children posed for photos as shark died

Seven men dragged the shark from the surf onto the beach to take photos

Shocking actions were reportedly captured on video near the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana,

A shark died after a group of tourists and lifeguards in the Dominican Republic raced into the water to drag it back to shore.

In a shocking video captured by beachgoers, the shark is first seen in the surf as seven men cautiously approached it and drug it back to shore.

The incident reportedly took place near the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana, where some members of the hotel's staff were involved, according to The Dodo.

A shark (pictured) died after a group of tourists and lifeguards (pictured) in the Dominican Republic raced into the water to drag it back to shore

About seven men pulled the blue shark from the water and a life preserver was placed in it's mouth in an apparent attempt to keep it from biting them. The incident reportedly happened near the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana where tourists and lifeguards posed for a photo as the helpless shark died on the beach

As the men approach the shore, the shark tries to escape to no avail.

It appeared it was tangled in the rope of a life preserver as lifeguards from the hotel were among those who got involved.

The life preserver was even inserted into the shark's mouth as it lie helplessly on it's back surrounded by lifeguards and tourists.

Tourists and lifeguards then used the shark as a prop and began to take photos with it. Some were holding the shark down as others sat around it.

One man held the dying creature's tail fin in the air as he posed for a photo.

Tourists and lifeguards then used the shark as a prop and began to take photos with it. Some were holding the shark down as others sat around it. One man (pictured) held the dying creature's tail fin in the air as he posed for a photo

Hard Rock Hotel responded to their staff's actions on Twitter saying: 'As Hard Rock does not condone this behavior, we are taking this situation seriously. Staff involved will face appropriate action'

Hard Rock Hotel spokesperson Stacy Sorino told The Dodo that resort management is aware of the incident, and that 'corrective measures' are being taken against the employees involved.

'That is absolutely against our standards of protecting animals as we protect our guests,' said Sorino.

The hotel also responded to their staff's actions on Twitter saying: 'As Hard Rock does not condone this behavior, we are taking this situation seriously.

'Staff involved will face appropriate action.'

Earlier this year, a similar incident occurred in Argentina when a baby dolphin died of suspected dehydration after being paraded around like a trophy and stroked by a crowd of sunbathers who then abandoned it on the sand.

The group of people huddled around the mammal taking selfies after it was found on the Argentine beach resort of Santa Teresita in the north-eastern Buenos Aires Province.

Blue sharks will grow to be 12.5 feet in length and on average weigh about 450 pounds

And in Florida last month, a woman was rushed to the hospital after she was bitten by a baby nurse shark.

An 11-year-old witness told the Sun Sentinel that the shark was provoked by the woman and her friends.

He said he saw the woman and her friends 'holding the shark by its tail' and 'messing with it' before the animal lashed out.

Blue sharks are extremely fast swimmers and they can swim long distances. They are one of the few species of sharks that stick together in small groups.

On average a blue shark will grow to be 12.5 feet in length. They don’t weight much compared to other sharks at a maximum of about 450 pounds.



