A kayaker in Tazacorte, Canary Islands, captured a frightening encounter with a hammerhead shark circling his kayak. Reacting quickly, the local paddler took action as the hammerhead shark approached.
The incident unfolded off the coast of Tazacorte, located on the western side of La Palma Island. In the footage, the shark can be seen circling the kayak. The kayaker’s heavy breathing can be heard. Grabbing his paddle, he attempts to ward off the predator, hoping to scare it away. In a frantic effort to protect himself, he strikes the shark as it draws nearer.
The shark does turn away initially but soon circles back toward the kayak. The man grows increasingly anxious, suspecting that the shark may be trying to capsize him. He can be heard warning the creature, “Get away.” After another strike, the shark disappears.
Watch the video:
The video was shared on Instagram and quickly went viral. Some users claimed hammerhead sharks are generally not hostile towards humans. One user wrote, “Maybe he was just curious. Like this he will attack to defend himself.” Another user commented, “hammer don’t attack people it was just curious.” A third user said, “Google hammerhead shark attacks… only 38 recorded attacks on humans since 1580. I highly doubt the shark is the problem.”
Recently, a German woman tragically lost her life in a shark attack while aboard a catamaran off the Canary Islands. The incident took place in international waters, roughly 278 miles southwest of Gran Canaria’s airport. According to The Mirror, the woman had her leg bitten off by the shark. She was part of the crew on a British-flagged vessel called the Dalliance Chichester, which had departed from the Spanish island on September 14.