WATCH: Great White suddenly appears behind unsuspecting spear fisherman
Frightening footage shows a South African spear fisherman being swooped by a great white shark that emerges out of nowhere.
Video captured by the diver’s son during a salvage expedition shows the shark popping out of the water unexpectedly.
Seeming to appear almost out of nowhere, the predator bares his teeth and brushes the diver as it swims past.
The white pointer gives the diver a tap on the head as it swims on without bothering to attack.
The close encounter has gone viral on social media, after being shared to the South Africa Spearfishing Facebook page late last night.
In just 18 hours the seven-second clip had already been viewed 1.5 million times, shared more than 30,000 times, with around 17,000 likes.
The video has sparked debate among viewers, with some saying the shark was playing with the diver, while others reckon the beast was looking for a feast. Others are adamant the shark was Photoshopped in.
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“Shark realised it wasn't food... his body language wasn't in attack mode,” one wrote.
“That's when his back is arched and pectoral fins are down.... in no way was he in danger..... makes shark more intelligent than us...!!!!”
Another agreed: “Beautiful to see. The shark clearly recognize the diver was not a prey item. Proof they are not mindless killers.”
