Divers carrying out a marine conservation mission in the central Mediterranean have captured what is believed to be the first-ever underwater footage of an adult great white shark in the region, offering a rare glimpse of one of the world's most elusive apex predators. 

The encounter occurred in the Strait of Sicily, between Italy and Tunisia, during an operation to remove abandoned fishing gear from a shipwreck. The footage is being hailed as a significant scientific and conservation milestone, particularly because great white sharks in the Mediterranean are classified as critically endangered and are rarely observed.

No injuries were reported during the unexpected encounter, which conservationists described as both extraordinary and encouraging for efforts to protect marine biodiversity in the region.

Shark emerges during conservation mission

The sighting took place while divers from Healthy Seas Foundation, Ghost Diving and the Society for the Documentation of Submerged Sites (SDSS) were working to remove so-called "ghost nets", abandoned fishing nets that continue trapping marine life long after being discarded.

As the team conducted recovery work at the offshore wreck site, a large great white shark suddenly appeared from the depths and approached the divers. The animal reportedly swam within about nine feet (three metres) of the group before circling them and continuing on its way.

Technical diver Derk Remmers, who photographed and filmed the shark, described the moment as unforgettable.

“Nothing prepares you for a moment like this,” he said.

Speaking later about the encounter, Remmers said the shark's behaviour appeared calm and inquisitive rather than threatening.

"My fingers were trembling, that's for sure – it was a big animal and we didn't expect this at all. He swam by and then he turned around and faced us and came back. It seemed clear that he was curious and not aggressive – he was really laid back, like he had the attitude of being the boss down there. And when we started releasing a few bubbles from our mouth, he started speeding up a little bit and vanished into the blue," he added.

In a separate statement, Remmers described seeing the predator in Mediterranean waters as "insane".

Rare footage of a critically endangered species

While great white sharks have occasionally been spotted from boats or seen near the surface of Mediterranean waters, conservation groups believe this is the first time divers have successfully recorded underwater footage of an adult specimen in the region.

The released video shows what experts believe is an adult male great white swimming steadily through the water accompanied by a group of striped pilot fish, a species commonly seen travelling alongside large marine predators in search of food scraps.

The Mediterranean population of great white sharks remains poorly understood. Scientists have limited information about how many animals remain in the region, where the species has been listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2016.

Notably, the footage offers researchers a rare opportunity to observe the behaviour and condition of an adult shark in an area where sightings are exceptionally uncommon.

Why the shark may have appeared

According to members of the diving team, the shark's presence may have been linked to marine animals trapped in the abandoned fishing gear.

Pascal van Erp, another diver involved in the operation, suggested the predator could have been attracted by dead sea life caught in the ghost nets surrounding the wreck.

The dive site itself has become an important focus for conservation work. Healthy Seas has previously documented sea turtles and other marine species ensnared in discarded fishing equipment in the area, highlighting the environmental damage caused by lost and abandoned gear.

The Strait of Sicily is widely regarded as a biodiversity hotspot, but conservationists warn that industrial fishing, overfishing and marine pollution continue to threaten its ecosystems.

Conservationists stress importance of protecting offshore waters

Despite the dramatic footage, experts emphasised that the sighting occurred far offshore and does not pose any threat to the public.

Instead, they say the encounter serves as a reminder of the biodiversity that still exists in Mediterranean waters and the need for continued conservation efforts.

"Moments like this remind us how much life can still exist in offshore Mediterranean waters and how important it ⁠is to protect it from preventable threats like abandoned fishing gear or overfishing," said Healthy Seas director Veronika Mikos.

Conservation organisations involved in the expedition said the discovery highlights both the resilience of marine ecosystems and the importance of ongoing efforts to remove ghost nets and reduce human impacts on vulnerable ocean habitats.