Full Breakdown
Historic Underwater Great White Shark Sighting in the Mediterranean
6/10/2026, 10:53:36 AM
First Recorded Underwater Encounter
In May 2026, volunteer diver Derk Remmers of Ghost Diving filmed an adult great white shark (*Carcharodon carcharias*) at ~132 ft (?40 m) depth on a shipwreck in the Strait of Sicily, between Sicily and Tunisia. The team was removing abandoned fishing nets when the 13-ft male shark passed, prompting an urgent attempt to record the rare sight.
Decline of Mediterranean Great Whites
Great whites have lived in the Mediterranean for millennia, yet the regional population is now critically endangered. The IUCN lists the species globally as vulnerable, with a 30-49 % decline over three generations; the Mediterranean sub-population has suffered a sharper drop due to overfishing, habitat loss, climate change, and ghost-net entanglement, which captures 3-10 % of lost gear annually.
Divers, Researchers, and Conservation Groups
The dive was organized by Ghost Diving, Healthy Seas Foundation, and the Society for Documentation of Submerged Sites (SDSS). Veronika Mikos directs Healthy Seas; Carlo Cattano of the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn’s Sicily Marine Centre provided scientific input; Paul Cox leads the Shark Trust in Plymouth.
Population Status and Threats
- Adults can exceed 6 m (20 ft) and weigh >2 t.
- Mediterranean population classified as critically endangered by IUCN.
- Ghost nets, lost in 3-10 % of gear annually, entangle sharks and other marine life.
Scientific and Organizational Reactions
Cattano said live sightings are vital for improving knowledge of shark distribution and behavior. Mikos noted the encounter underscores the need to protect biodiversity hotspots by removing ghost nets. Cox urged coordinated conservation actions and consistent enforcement of fishing regulations across Mediterranean nations.
Calls for Broader Conservation Measures
Cox warned that isolated clean-up dives cannot halt shark declines without broader policies, calling for stricter gear-loss mitigation, by-catch limits, and expanded marine protected areas.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Much of our knowledge about great white sharks in the Mediterranean comes from dead specimens caught during fishing operations,” — Carlo Cattano, researcher, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn
- “What makes this encounter so powerful is not only the shark itself, but the context in which it happened,” — Veronika Mikos, director, Healthy Seas
- “You spend decades diving wrecks and removing ghost nets, but nothing prepares you for a moment like this.” — Derk Remmers, volunteer diver, Ghost Diving
- “A range of conservation measures are needed for sharks in the region,” — Paul Cox, CEO, Shark Trust
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Some outlets call the video the “first ever underwater footage” of a Mediterranean great white, while others say it is the “first filmed evidence in over 40 years.” The IUCN lists the species globally as vulnerable, yet the Mediterranean sub-population is labeled critically endangered. Reported depth varies between “more than 132 feet” and “about 40 metres.”
Future Monitoring and Conservation Plans
The team collected environmental DNA and will keep removing ghost nets at the wreck. Ongoing analysis will map shark presence, guide future surveys, and inform regional authorities as they integrate findings into Mediterranean marine-conservation strategies.
