For the very first time ever, a fully grown great white shark in the Mediterranean has been filmed underwater by divers. The spectacular footage was captured in early June 2026 in the Strait of Sicily, between Italy and Tunisia, and has caused an international sensation. Italian marine biologists are quick to point out, however, that there is no cause for panic. The great white shark is not an intruder in the Mediterranean, but a historical inhabitant.
The historic footage in the Strait of Sicily
The encounter took place during an environmental mission by the Healthy Seas Foundation, together with the organizations Ghost Diving and SDSS (Society for Documentation of Submerged Sites). The dive team was working at a depth of around 40 meters, recovering so-called "ghost nets", abandoned fishing nets left behind in the sea, from a shipwreck in the Strait of Sicily.
Suddenly, the powerful predator emerged from the deep blue, calmly circling the group before moving away again after a short time. Ghost Diving volunteer Derk Remmers captured the moment in unprecedented video and photo footage. According to marine biologist Carlo Cattano of the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn in Palermo, this represents the first video documentation of an underwater encounter with a great white shark in the Mediterranean, making it a valuable resource for better understanding the biology and behavior of the species.
How dangerous is the great white shark in the Mediterranean, really?
The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) can grow to over six meters in length and weigh up to two tons. Impressive figures that have inspired fear, at the latest since Hollywood got involved. Science, however, paints a different picture: humans are not part of the great white shark's prey. Its diet consists of marine mammals and large fish.
The rare incidents involving humans are, in the assessment of experts, including those at the Natural History Museum in London almost always the result of mistaken identity. Viewed from below against the light, the silhouette of a swimmer or a surfer on a board closely resembles that of a seal. Out of curiosity, the shark will often take an exploratory bite, then release its subject as soon as it realizes its mistake.
Cattano highlights a revealing detail from the video: the shark quickly swims away, presumably startled by the air bubbles from the diving equipment. This is precisely the behavior marine biologists have long observed. Disturbed sharks leave their locations. Respect and caution are always appropriate when encountering these animals in the sea, but uncontrolled fear is unwarranted.
Where does the great white shark live in the Mediterranean?
As surprising as it may sound, the Mediterranean has been home to the great white shark for millions of years and is historically regarded as one of the most important distribution areas for the species in the world. Records exist from large parts of Italian waters, from the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas all the way up to the Adriatic.
A key role is played by the Strait of Sicily. This marine area is a biodiversity hotspot where juveniles and even newborns have historically been observed on a recurring basis. This suggests that the Strait of Sicily is an important area for the birth and reproduction of the species.
An endangered species: "critically endangered" in the Mediterranean
Despite its size, the great white shark is itself the threatened part of this story. While the species is classified globally on the IUCN Red List asVulnerable, the Mediterranean population is considered Critically Endangered (Critically Endangered). The main causes of this dramatic decline are human activities, above all bycatch in fishing nets (Bycatch) and the destruction of habitat.
In order not to further disturb these already rare animals, Cattano's research team works exclusively with non-invasive methods of remote observation. Extraordinary encounters such as the one off the coast of Sicily are therefore not meant to cause alarm, but rather to serve as a reminder of the precious and fragile biodiversity beneath the ocean's surface.
What does this mean for vacationers in Italy?
For swimmers and water sports enthusiasts along Italy's coasts, this discovery changes practically nothing. Encounters with great white sharks in the Mediterranean are extremely rare, and attacks on humans are even rarer and almost never intentional. The footage from the Strait of Sicily is above all good news for science and a reminder of how much untouched nature the Mediterranean still holds.
