A family had a terrifying encounter with a great white shark off the coast of Mandurah near Perth, West Australia. They were able to film the moment the massive 14-foot shark chomped at their boat and bit its motor.

The horrifying footage that has gone viral online reminded people of a scene straight out of the movie Jaws. "We had a big visitor from the deep come up, nice size ... white pointer," David Tuckfield told 9News.

[WATCH] 14-Foot Great White Shark Attacks Family Boat After Circling It For Over An Hour; How Often Do These Predators Attack?
(Photo : Unsplash/Kevin Bessat)
[WATCH] 14-Foot Great White Shark Attacks Family Boat After Circling It For Over An Hour; How Often Do These Predators Attack?

Horrifying Encounter With A Great White Shark

The Australian man was said to be fishing with his wife and 14-year-old son when the apex predator approached their 24-foot boat and tried to snatch their catch.

In the footage shared, it can be seen that the shark breached behind the boat with its mouth open wide, which caused the wife to scream. Then moments later, the shark suddenly jumped and tried chomping the motor of the boat. Tuckfield exclaimed that they were mesmerized by the shark's actions.

Despite fishing in the area for many years, Tuckfield claims that he has never seen a shark that big and up close. According to The New York Post, the great white shark circled their boat and bit their motor several times before finally swimming away.

Although the encounter with the massive predator was terrifying, the family said that it was the highlight of their Easter weekend. Tuckfield noted that only when people could see sharks up close would they truly appreciate them and the sea that serves as these creatures' playground.

The man and his family were lucky to leave unscathed after the attack, unlike the swimmer killed in another shark encounter in February this year that marked the first fatality at the city's beaches in almost six decades. Watch the video below this article, which is featured in 9News report.

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Things to Do When Attacked By A Great White Shark

Shark attacks happen worldwide, and in 2021, the Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File investigated 137 alleged shark-human interactions, wherein four were classified as boat attacks. ISAF was able to confirm 73 unprovoked shark attacks on humans and 39 provoked shark attacks.

In cases where shark interaction is inevitable, the Victorian Fisheries Authority said it is important to know what to do. When seeing a shark, remain calm, keep it in sight, and exit the water slowly if possible.

During an attack, it is best to defend oneself since playing dead will not work. Use whatever materials present, such as a surfboard, dive gear, and fishing equipment, to defend yourself. Do not use your bare hands to attack the shark. But if you must, hit its eyes, nose, and gills. Scare away the shark by making sudden movements.

When already bitten, try to stop the bleeding by applying pressure. Then immediately leave the water as calmly as possible. Get medical attention no matter how small the injury.

In cases where you need to help a shark attack victim, begin controlling bleeding by pressing on pressure points or applying tourniquets. Remove the victim from the water immediately and protect the victim from the cold by wrapping towels to avoid heat loss. Also, do not move the victim once out of the water until you can find help.

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