A video depicting a large shark encircling a boat off the coast of Portugal has raised concerns. The shark, possibly a great white measuring between 10ft and 13ft, was spotted around two nautical miles from the renowned surfing area of Nazaré. The footage, captured during a boat tour between São Martinho do Porto and Nazaré, was shared on Instagram by Ocean Adventures on July 25.
According to the caption accompanying the video, the shark, estimated to be 3/4m in length, approached the boat and swam around it briefly. Despite the close encounter, the crew did not feel threatened as the shark exhibited calm behavior and even appeared curious. While the shark’s species remains unconfirmed, boat tour operator Nuno Santos mentioned that its coloring suggested it could be a great white.
The remarkable video has garnered over 670,000 views on social media platforms. Great white sharks are known for their long-distance travels in search of suitable habitats and food sources. Although sightings of these sharks near mainland Portugal are rare, they have been occasionally recorded in the Mediterranean and wider North Atlantic regions.
After its encounter with the boat, the shark eventually departed and vanished into deeper waters.