During a shark-tagging expedition off Tybee Island, Georgia, a woman experienced a terrifying moment when she attempted to pet a great white shark. The shark violently lunged and snapped at her hand, though the crew maintained control and she was unharmed.
A woman’s effort to touch a great white shark ended with a violent lunge that caused a moment of fear for the crew of the boat. The popular video of the incident off Tybee Island, Georgia, is a reminder of how fast interactions with marine creatures may take an unanticipated turn. The video was posted by Jimmy Lee Armel, founder of Knot Lucky Fishing, a Savannah-based organization that organizes fishing excursions for veterans, service personnel and their families.
“She reached out to pet a great white shark. The great white had other plans,” Armel wrote on Facebook. He later clarified that the video was filmed during a shark-tagging expedition.
In the film, a veteran named Jen leans over the side of the boat and touches the shark, perhaps trying to pet it. Suddenly the animal starts thrashing about, snapping at her palm, a scary moment before the encounter is over.
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Armel claimed Jen was not in any actual danger despite the scary look of the clip. The team had kept control of the situation and the shark never got near enough to damage her.
“The crew had that shark under control the whole time, and it never got close enough to do any harm. But that reaction right there is a reminder of exactly what these animals are. Beautiful. Powerful. Wild. They deserve every ounce of respect we can give them,” he said.
Armel explained that the encounter took place during a shark-tagging trip. The process involves catching sharks, attaching tracking tags and releasing them back into the water. Researchers use the collected data to study shark movements, migration patterns and behaviour. He also described the personal significance behind the organisation’s work, writing, “We catch, tag, and release great whites to collect real research on where they go and how they live, and every shark we tag carries the name of a fallen brother. Science and honor on the same deck.”
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The video’s great white shark was released without a tag, despite a tagging mission. “The crew didn’t have a safe opportunity to attach one and they won’t take any unnecessary risks to do so,” Armel added.
