A family filmed the moment a huge great white shark started chomping at their boat, biting into the motor. You can check it out here:
David Tuckfield, his wife Kunya and their son Shelby, 14, were fishing off the coast of Mandurah, south of Perth in Australia on Friday 15 April, when the shark swam over and started thrashing around, attacking the boat.
The family said the shark – which they estimated to be between three and four metres long – hung around for about an hour in total, circling them before launching a series of attack on the motor.
In the shocking clip, the shark can be seen breaching out the water before sinking its super-sized teeth into the boat while Kunya can be heard screaming, before shouting: “He’s trying to eat the motor!”
After unsuccessfully attempting to chow down on the boat, the shark left.
Speaking to Nine News after the incident, David said: “We had a big visitor from the deep come up, nice size … white pointer.
“He tried to take a chunk out of the motor, we were mesmerised.”
The family said that when the shark first approached it had initially been going for Shelby’s catch, but it soon turned its attention to the motor instead.
Looking down as the shark leapt out of the water, the teen said all he could see was ‘teeth and a big mouth’ coming up towards him. Rather you than me, mate.
Keen angler David said he’s never had such a close encounter with a great white before or seen one quite so big, nor had wife Kunya. She told Nine News: “I had goosebumps! I never saw a shark that large before.”
David said: “He was giving it a good nudge. You could feel the boat move a little bit when he hit it.”
But despite the damage sustained to their boat – and seemingly Kunya’s vocal cords with all that screaming – they say the incident was the highlight of their Easter weekend, with David particularly impressed about being a chance to get so close to nature.
He told the news outlet: “Such a big majestic creature. We don’t appreciate them until you see them up close and it is their playground.”
