A holiday snorkelling trip turned into a nightmare for a tourist when a shark suddenly clamped its jaws onto her leg and attempted to pull her underwater.
Underwater Paradise Turns to Panic
Tayane Dalazen, 36, was exploring the crystal-clear waters of the Fernando de Noronha archipelago in Brazil's Pernambuco state with friends. The serene scene, filled with colourful fish, was shattered in an instant. A nurse shark, which had been slowly circling the area, made a sudden and aggressive move towards the swimmer.
Horrifying footage of the incident, captured on January 13, 2026, shows the seemingly placid shark approaching Ms Dalazen before it lunges and bites down on her right leg. The camera shakes violently as she struggles against the predator's grip.
The Mechanics of a Nurse Shark's Bite
Unlike more notorious sharks like the Great White, nurse sharks are bottom-feeders typically hunting crustaceans and molluscs. They possess rows of small, serrated teeth designed for crushing shells. Their hunting technique involves a powerful combination of a strong jaw and a suction mechanism created by throat muscles, allowing them to latch onto prey firmly.
This unique biology explains the distinctive wound left on Ms Dalazen. "I felt it shaking me by the leg," she recalled. "I thought I could not put my hand there, because it could rip it off. The guide had to hit it so it would let me go." The quick-thinking guide's intervention was crucial in ending the attack.
Aftermath and Investigation
Ms Dalazen was rushed to hospital following the attack at the popular tourist spot in front of a local fishermen's association. She sustained a large, crescent-shaped bite mark covered in gruesome serrations, but fortunately, her injuries were classified as minor. Displaying remarkable humour after the ordeal, she joked that the shark "must be missing a tooth."
The Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation has confirmed it has opened an investigation into the incident. While nurse shark attacks on humans are rare, authorities note they can occasionally occur in tourist areas, often linked to irregular feeding patterns that alter the animals' natural behaviour.
