A diver has captured what is believed to be the first underwater footage of an adult Great White shark in the Mediterranean Sea, in an extremely rare encounter. The video, recorded by Derk Remmers, shows the massive predator swimming near a shipwreck in the Strait of Sicily, between Italy and Tunisia.
Rare encounter during conservation mission
Remmers was part of a three-diver team from the NGO Healthy Seas, working to remove abandoned fishing nets—known as ghost nets—from the wreck when the shark appeared. He described the moment: "We saw this huge shark. It was pretty clear it was a massive one. It looked and appeared to be a white shark." The team was collecting nets that trap marine life when the shark emerged nearby.
First documented underwater footage
While surface sightings of Great Whites have occurred in the Mediterranean, experts believe this marks the first documented underwater footage of an adult specimen filmed by divers in its natural habitat. Great Whites are now considered critically endangered in the region. Remmers admitted his hands were shaking as he tried to film the encounter, fearing he might not get the camera running in time. He told the BBC: "I think my biggest fear was that I wouldn't be able to get the camera running, that I couldn't record this rare event."
Importance of the sighting
Remmers emphasized that the shark was observed many miles offshore, far from beaches, and urged the public not to panic or call for hunting. He said: "It is important to me that no one gets scared because it was offshore, it was in the central Mediterranean, it was not close to a beach where people could feel endangered." He added: "This might very well be the first underwater footage of an adult white shark in its own habitat in the Mediterranean... it sank in a little bit that this was pretty special."
Declining population
Great White sharks were once more common in parts of the Mediterranean, but their numbers have plummeted due to overfishing and accidental entanglement in nets. The Shark Trust, a UK-based conservation group, states that Mediterranean Great Whites are critically endangered, with a poorly understood population. Genetic evidence shows they are a distinct population from Atlantic sharks. Paul Cox, CEO of The Shark Trust, told The Telegraph: "We've long known of the presence of Great White sharks in the Mediterranean. The video shared on World Oceans Day of them in the Straits of Sicily is exciting. It suggests that, perhaps, despite the challenges faced by the regional population, these extraordinary animals are managing to maintain a foothold in the region."
Threats from fishing and trade
Studies by the Blue Marine Foundation reveal that threatened sharks, including Great Whites, are still caught and traded in North African fish markets, such as in Tunisia and Algeria. The charity estimates that at least 40 Great Whites were killed and sold for consumption last year alone. The Mediterranean faces intense pressure from overfishing, rising water temperatures, and invasive species, with over three-quarters of fish stocks exploited beyond sustainable levels.
Hope for conservation
Veronika Mikos, director of Healthy Seas, said: "What makes this encounter so powerful is not only the shark itself, but the context in which it happened. We were there to remove ghost nets trapping marine life on a shipwreck ecosystem that is a hotspot for biodiversity. Moments like this remind us how much life can still exist in offshore Mediterranean waters." The sighting offers hope that conservation efforts may help protect these magnificent creatures.
