By Daily Mail Reporter


Wild: The half-tonne great White Shark thrashes around after jumping from the sea onto the deck of the marine research boat in Mossel Bay, South Africa


When a team of marine scientists began throwing sardines into the ocean they were hoping to get a closer look at great white sharks.

But little did they expect that they would come face-to-face with one of ferocious beasts after it jumped out of the water - and landed in their boat.

The wild three-metres long creature began flailing around on the deck snatching at the air with its razor-sharp teeth.

Beast: The crew of seven scientists wrestled with the predator in a desperate bid to throw it back into the ocean but they were unable to get it under control


The brave team had to wrestle the half-tonne predator until it could be tossed back into the water at a nearby harbour in Mossel Bay, South Africa.

'Activity around the boat ceased and all was pretty quiet at the stern,' team leader Dorien Schroder said.

'Next thing, I hear a splash and see a great white breach out of the water from one side of the boat hovering, literally, over a crew member chumming on the port side.'

Six members of Oceans Research organisation were collecting data on sharks in, 388km west of Cape Town, in a research project.

The seven-strong crew used sardines as bait to attract the predators and were able to observe four great whites, that are known locally for bursting through the surface as they prey on seals.

But the crew were taken by surprise when the killer fish leaped out of the water and landed on the boat's fuel and bait storage containers, the Cape Times reported.

The crew backed off, hoping the shark would find its way back to the water - but the creatures panicked, cutting fuel lines as it thrashed about.

Caring: A brave researcher grapples with the shark as he helps it back into the ocean


Freedom: Two of the shark scientists release the creature into a nearby harbour, only for the shark to beach itself a short while later and need yet more assistance


The scientists radioed for help poured water over the shark's gills to keep it alive. They even tied a rope around the shark's tail in desperate bid to haul it back onto the ocean

But the thrashing creature refused to budge and the boat was eventually towed back to harbour and the shark was lifted back into the water with a crane.

But the giant fish still caused problems. The shark was unable to navigate out of the harbour and it beached itself half an hour later.

A team led by Oceans Research's co-director, Enrico Gennari then tied ropes to the shark's tail and pectoral fins, and slowly towed it out to sea, where the fish recovered and swam away, The Guardian reported.

Mr Gennari said the chaos was the first time he'd heard of a great white jumping onto a boat.

But he added that the fish could have mistaken the boat's shadow for prey or been disturbed by another shark.

'It's all speculation,' Mr Gennari said.

'But sometimes a shark breaches the surface when it feels another shark underneath it. They (move) like a flying fish and end up several meters away.'


source:dailymail