Australian Fisherman Films Great White Shark As It ‘Attacks’ His Boat
An Australian fisherman managed to capture stunning footage of a great white shark as it rammed the side of his vessel on Friday, a day ahead of a fatal attack that transpired in Tasmania.
The encounter took place west of Carnac Island, according to the Australian, when angler Mark Peacock was fishing alone in shallow water. His boat was approached by a great white shark, which circled the vessel for several minutes, prompting him to film the animal. After a moment, however, the shark approached his boat’s motor, causing him to realize the situation had changed.
“When it grabbed the motor it shook the boat around, and made me realize just how strong this creature was,” he noted.
Peacock started his boat’s engine in hopes that it would frighten off the white shark. That tactic caused the opposite reaction, however, as the great white turned and rammed the side of his vessel.
“When it bit the boat I was a bit scared but when it actually came up and rammed the boat with the nose like it was actually going to bite it, yeah I got a bit nervous.”
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The 52-year-old angler, who serves as President of the Fremantle Recreational Fishing club, pulled up his anchor and moved away from the area, but the shark followed his vessel, circling and investigating it. According to News.Com.Au, Peacock called the shark’s actions “aggressive,” noting that they left him shaken and eventually caused him to head back to land.
“I’d had a couple of cans in the boat and I thought I might just have one to calm down,” he said, laughingly.
Peacock’s encounter transpired just one day before a fatal shark attack that may have been the fault of a great white. As the Inquisitr previously reported, a man in his late 40s who was diving with his adult daughter off the Tasmanian coast was attacked by a large shark, suffering lethal wounds. Divers in the region reported encountering a 14 to 16-foot-long white shark in the days leading up to the attack.
While Peacock’s encounter was harrowing, it is hardly an unusual occurrence. White sharks have been known to approach boats in the past, inquisitively biting at their motors. While the exact aspect that attracts them is not known, researchers have postulated that the slight electrical charge generated by the engine could be detected by a great white shark.
[Image via YouTube/ 9 News Perth]
