Featured Image Credit: David Finlay
By Sarah Sharkey
Drone footage shows shark swimming directly beneath unsuspecting surfers at a beach in Southern Australia. The video shows the shark circling very close to the surfers, but they had no idea that the shark was there.
David Finlay, Australian photographer, was operating his drone at a Kiami beach. The drone had a camera attached and captured a very close encounter on camera. The large shark was lurking just beneath the water and only feet away from two surfers who had no idea it was there.
Towards the end of the video, Finlay is heard asking for a phone. This was in an attempt to warn the surfers. Finlay said, “The surf lifesavers were notified there was a shark in the water.”
The shark swam frighteningly close to one surfer who had their feet dangling in the water. The surfers were out there awaiting the next wave, after catching that wave they were presumably carried away from the shark. It is unnerving to realize just how close sharks can get to us, without out us even noticing!
Unprovoked shark attacks are not very common worldwide, but the average yearly count of unprovoked shark attacks is 13 in Australia. Last year the number was higher at 17 unprovoked shark attacks. Hopefully the count is lowered this year.