Shark And Fisherman Face Off In Epic Tug-Of-War Off Florida Coast

A group of fishermen recently found themselves in an unexpected tug-of-war with a shark off the coast of Florida, after the predator attacked a tarpon they were in the process of catching.

The unusual incident happened on a trip conducted by Falling Tide Charters, which is based in Bokeelia, Florida. While beachgoers along the coast have been set on edge by a series of recent shark attacks, as National Geographic notes, the charter crew managed to record their own surprising shark encounter. Video posted on Facebook depicts one of the anglers reeling in a tarpon before a shark of indeterminate species moves in to attack the unfortunate fish.

https://www.facebook.com/161822500532711/videos/862844653763822/

As the video opens, someone in the background can be heard yelling “Shark, shark, shark!”, as the camera focuses on splashing just off the boat. Over the course of the next 30 seconds, the group watches as one of their number fights against the shark, which has risen from nowhere to attack the fish on the end of his line. After just a few seconds, blood begins to stain the surface of the water as the tarpon is quite literally ripped apart by the shark’s actions, which took place in just five feet of water, according to OutdoorHub.

The predator thrashes in the water, crossing the bow of the boat as its dorsal and caudal fins break the surface. The fishing rod bends nearly to the surface of the sea as the fisherman fights against the shark. Moving back to the port side, the shark finally releases the tarpon, leaving the group to haul in its remains. As the anglers bring the fish to the side of their vessel, they are astonished to see that the animal’s entire body behind its head has been removed and taken by the marauding shark.

NOPE: Watch This Great White Shark Steal A Marlin Right Off A Fisherman’s Line http://t.co/dGpjjli1Nc pic.twitter.com/7ap3NGZOeo

— UPROXX (@UPROXX) March 18, 2015

Though the incident resulted in an unusual video, it mirrored another attack that took place half a world away. Earlier this year, an angler in New Zealand recorded his battle with a fish, only to be startled when a great white shark burst from the sea to rip it from his line at the boat’s side. Video of the unexpected attack went viral, as the Inquisitr previously reported, and some fishermen were able to identify the animal as a juvenile white shark.

[Image via Falling Tide Charters/ Facebook]