A video captured the moment a tiger shark seemingly tried to bite a diver on the island of Hulhumale in the Maldives – but the animal swam off and the man wasn’t harmed
A diver had a close brush with death after a shark sneaked up on him and appeared to try and bite off his head.
The tourist was diving on the island of Hulhumale, in the south of North Malé Atoll, when the incident happened on November 15. The heart-pounding footage shows the shark sneaking up behind the diver and then grabbing hold of him by his head.
The shark then shakes the diver around, trying to swallow him – but it appears the diver had a lucky escape as eventually the animal swam off. The diver, reportedly from China, got out of the water after the shocking encounter.
According to local reports, the man was part of a group who headed to the Shark Tank – a popular diving site where people can encounter tiger and bull sharks as well as other types of fish and rays. It is thought the group arrived on a speedboat from the island of Maafushi in Kaafu Atoll in the south.
Unconfirmed reports have claimed that the guides used bait to help attract sharks – which is illegal in the Maldives and can result in incidents, such as divers being bitten. The Shark Tank site has become popular with divers in recent years but photojournalist Daniel Brinckmann said conditions were “awful” when he recently went diving there.
He told Divernet: “You can see the tuna garbage sinking straight from the surface, with the workers shovelling it in the water, effectively creating a bait vortex. If divers come too close or don’t pay attention and stay out of the current, they can easily end up in trouble.”
Another diver familiar with the site told the publication: “On entering the water you are immediately met by plenty of large spinner sharks coming up from the bottom, excitedly expecting to be fed.” The diver said other sharks seen at the site include bull sharks, tiger sharks, as he added: “This is not a dive for the inexperienced.”
Shark attacks are rare in the Maldives – and divers are recommended to go on excursions with certified operations to ensure their own safety. The most frequently spotted sharks you will encounter in the Maldives, particularly the blacktip and whitetip reef sharks, are gentle and shy and are usually seen gliding through reef without approaching tourists.
While attacks are rare, some factors that could increase the likelihood of an encounter are wounded fish or bait in the water, swimming in murky waters, or wearing shiny jewellery or brightly coloured clothing that may resemble fish to sharks. Having recognised the importance of sharks in maintaining health marine ecosystems, the Maldives has implemented conservation efforts such as establishing shark sanctuaries, educating tourists and locals about the importance of sharks, and issuing regulations to prevent overfishing and protect marine habitats.
