Diver captures rare great white shark encounter in Mediterranean

While removing abandoned fishing nets from a shipwreck deep in the Mediterranean Sea, a diver had an unexpected and rare encounter with a great white shark. Derk Remmers, a volunteer with the Ghost Diving foundation, was working between Sicily and Tunisia when he came face-to-face with the apex predator.

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Scientists estimate that between three and ten percent of all fishing gear is lost in the world's oceans every year. When you consider how many fishing boats set out from every port, it's clear that it's a huge amount.

Ghost Diving is a humanitarian organization composed of technical divers who specialize in removing lost fishing gear and waste from the ocean. Remmers explained that an estimated three to ten percent of all fishing gear is lost annually, forming deadly traps for marine life. "When you consider how many fishing boats set out from every port, it's clear that it's a huge amount," he told CNN.

During a dive in May, far from sight of land, Remmers and his partner experienced an encounter that was both terrifying and exhilarating. "I'd like to say I wasn't scared at all, but that wouldn't be true," Remmers admitted with a laugh. While a rational part of his mind knew humans are not on a great white's menu, another part hoped the shark understood this too. He quickly grabbed his camera, realizing the importance of evidence for such an extraordinary sighting.

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I'd like to say I wasn't scared at all, but that wouldn't be true.

The mission was organized by the Healthy Seas foundation, which focuses on removing marine waste and protecting ocean life. "What makes this encounter so special is not just the shark, but the context in which it happened," said Veronika Mikos, director of Healthy Seas. "We were there to remove ghost nets that were trapping marine life on a shipwreck that is a real biodiversity hotspot."

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I desperately needed to turn on the camera because no one would ever believe us if we had seen a white shark without any proof.

Mikos added, "Moments like these remind us how much life still exists in the open waters of the Mediterranean and how important it is to protect it from preventable threats like abandoned fishing gear or overfishing." Remmers was thrilled by the encounter, especially given the rarity of such sightings. He believes no one had previously filmed a great white shark in the Mediterranean, with the last documented sighting occurring over four decades ago. However, the reality for these magnificent creatures is harsh, with humans posing a greater threat to them than they do to humans.

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What makes this encounter so special is not just the shark, but the context in which it happened. We were there to remove ghost nets that were trapping marine life on a shipwreck that is a real biodiversity hotspot.