Huge Shark Surprises Diver Filming Blue Marlin

Patrick Doll, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons


Filming sportfish underwater is never an easy task – and often results in unbelievable surprises. 

In the vast depths of the open ocean, big pelagic fish like marlin and tuna are fast and elusive, and they’re generally only seen on the end of a fishing line.

Thus, when a blue marlin gets hooked during a Guy Harvey Expedition off Cat Island in the Bahamas, scuba diver Jim Abernethy dons his scuba gear and splashes into the water, ready to film the impressive fish. Everything is going well…until a massive mako shark shoots up from the depths and enters the frame.

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Understandably, Jim is quite shocked and curses through his regulator, but his fears are unwarranted. The mako is only curious about the panicked, struggling fish and is more interested in the marlin than the human. Yet, surprisingly, the mako doesn’t even attack the marlin. Instead, it disappears just as quickly as it appeared.

In many cases, mako sharks will attack and feast upon hooked marlins because they’re easy prey. The fishermen have usually already tired out their catch while dragging them through the water. Hooked marlins are practically ringing the dinner bell.

In another video, which takes place off the coast of Australia, another hooked marlin is not as lucky. While the cameraman films the marlin at the side of the boat, he feels something whoosh past him. He turns and sees a huge mako biting into the captured fish.


The mako bites off the marlin’s tail, unleashing a cloud of blood into the water. At this point, there is no chance for survival.

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