June 2026, Italy – A team of volunteer divers has captured what experts believe is the first-ever underwater footage of an adult great white shark in its natural habitat in the Mediterranean Sea, marking a remarkable moment for marine conservation and ocean research.
The extraordinary encounter took place in the Strait of Sicily, between the Italian island of Sicily and the coast of Tunisia, during a mission to remove abandoned “ghost nets” from a shipwreck.
The expedition was organized by Healthy Seas Foundation in partnership with Ghost Diving and the Society for Documentation of Submerged Sites (SDSS).
According to the divers, the huge shark appeared unexpectedly at a depth of around 40 meters, calmly circling the group before disappearing into the deep blue waters.
The footage was recorded by technical diver Derk Remmers, who described the experience as one of the most unforgettable moments of his decades-long diving career.
Marine scientists say the sighting is exceptionally significant because great white sharks in the Mediterranean are considered critically endangered.
Although occasional surface sightings have been reported over the years, this is believed to be the first documented underwater video of an adult great white in the region.
Researchers estimate that only a few hundred Mediterranean great white sharks may remain.
Their decline has been linked to overfishing, accidental capture in fishing gear, the reduction of tuna populations – the sharks’ primary prey – and increasing human pressure on one of the world’s busiest marine corridors.
Conservation organizations hope the footage will draw greater international attention to the urgent need for stronger protection of marine ecosystems in the Mediterranean.
The Strait of Sicily is recognized as both a biodiversity hotspot and one of the region’s most heavily exploited fishing areas, making conservation efforts particularly important.
Despite the excitement surrounding the encounter, experts emphasize that great white sharks rarely pose a threat to divers.
The species generally avoids human contact, and encounters of this kind remain extraordinarily rare.
The historic footage offers scientists valuable evidence that the elusive Mediterranean population still survives, providing renewed hope for future conservation and research initiatives aimed at protecting one of the ocean’s most iconic predators.
