Rare sighting of Great White shark caught on camera in Mediterranean Sea

Divers have filmed an incredibly rare interaction with a Great White shark in the Mediterranean Sea.

The team was on a mission to remove abandoned fishing nets from a shipwreck when they spotted the giant predator swimming nearby.

This sighting of a Great White in the Mediterranean was described by the divers as "pretty special".

Whilst a few rare surface sightings of Great Whites have been recorded in the region, there have never been any previously known underwater encounters filmed by divers.

This means this is thought to be the first underwater footage of an adult Great White shark ever filmed in the Mediterranean in its natural habitat.

"The shark was pretty close to us [...] And in fact my fingers were trembling when I was trying to get the camera operating," volunteer diver Derk Remmers told the BBC.

And it is easy to see why he was nervous and excited.

Great White sharks were once relatively common in parts of the Mediterranean, but it's thought overfishing has led to a decline in numbers.

Scientists fear the species could disappear from the region altogether.

Marine biologists consulted after the mission described the sighting as highly unusual and scientifically valuable.

Scientists say that people shouldn't be concerned about this shark sighting, as it was spotted many miles offshore.

And conservationists are hoping the sighting may be a positive thing for marine life.

They hope the sighting may encourage governments to create marine protected areas in Mediterranean waters.