It was a scene straight from Jaws.
An Australian family had a closer encounter with wildlife than expected after a massive 14-foot great white shark circled their boat for more than an hour – and even bit their bike several times. The footage from the mind-boggling meeting is currently exciting social networks.
“We had a big visitor from the deep, nice size… white pointer,” David Tuckfield told 9News about the meeting with the “white” knuckles.
The Australian was reportedly fishing with his wife Tanya and 14-year-old son Shelby off the coast of Mandura, south of Perth, when a predator at the top approached their 24-foot boat and tried to snatch the teenager’s catch.
The footage shows the large white, which Tuckfield estimated at 14 feet, piercing behind the boat with his mouth fully open, causing Tanya to let out a blood-curdling scream. Later in the video, the hippopotamus can be seen moving the bike with its large jaws.
“He tried to get a piece off the bike – we were mesmerized,” said Tuckfield, who has reportedly never seen a shark the size or so close, although he has hunted frequently in the area.
“He tried to get a piece out of the engine – we were mesmerized,” exclaimed David Tuckfield.News9
After an hour of circling the vessel, through which the “great majestic creature” bit the bike several times, Jaws finally set sail.
Despite the harrowing meeting, the family said the interaction was the highlight of their Easter weekend.
“We don’t appreciate them until you see them up close, and this is their playground,” Tuckfield said.
The fisherman has to thank his lucky stars: In February, several beaches in Sydney were closed after a swimmer was killed in a great white shark attack, marking the first such death on the city’s beaches in nearly 60 years.
The shark orbits the boat for an hour. News9 “We don’t appreciate them until you see them up close, and this is their playground,” Tuckfield said. News9
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