A great white shark has been captured on camera in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time, marking what researchers believe to be an unprecedented sighting in the Strait of Sicily.
The encounter occurred during a seabed cleanup operation carried out by volunteers from Ghost Diving and Healthy Seas, organisations dedicated to removing abandoned fishing gear from the ocean floor. The close-range footage was recorded by diver Derk Remmers.
Speaking to the BBC, Remmers described the moment as both striking and unforgettable. “My hands were shaking, it was a truly special encounter. The shark was swimming close to us, moving away and then coming back,” he said. He added that he felt no fear, noting that the animal was in open water far from the coast and posed no threat to humans.
The presence of the apex predator in the Mediterranean is being seen by some marine observers as a potentially encouraging sign for the ecosystem, as the species is among the most threatened globally.