This 15 foot long Tiger Shark got way too close for comfort during a recent dive off the coast of South Africa.

This amazing interaction was caught on camera by our partner, adventurer Rainer Schimpf, who operates Expert Tours out of Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Rainer explained that during a professional dive such as this, there are a few key “dos and dont’s” that divers must keep in mind when diving amongst sharks:
– never make fast movements
– never behave like prey and swim away fast from a shark
– if a shark approaches, stay calm, and if it comes too close, gently push it away.

One diver lost his cool when the huge Tiger Shark got too close for comfort. Instead of staying calm, the diver hesitated and swam quickly upwards away from the shark. This reaction instantly triggered the hunting instincts of the hungry Tiger shark. The shark immediately swam directly upwards, charging the diver. This type of rare moment has never been filmed before.

What could have been a fatal mistake was averted only because the diver realized their error at the very last moment, and gained composure enough to stop swimming frantically, which caused the shark to lose interest.

Diving with beautiful, dangerous creatures like this should only be done by professionals. Don’t try this at home.