Hear This Diver’s Underwater Scream When a Great White Shark Suddenly Emerges

When ships are wrecked and fall to the seabed, they do more than merely sit at the bottom of the ocean. They become reefs and, over time, end up teeming with life. Just off the coast of North Carolina, there are a large number of shipwrecks, estimated to be around 2,000. Shipwrecks are a popular spot for divers because they often get some amazing views of sea life. Sand tiger sharks are known to hang out around shipwrecks for feeding, but they aren’t the only type of shark that can be found around shipwrecks. Much larger predators, such as the great white shark, are sometimes spotted around shipwrecks off the coast of North Carolina.

About Sand Tiger Sharks

They may look mean, but sand tiger sharks are typically not aggressive toward humans. Also sometimes known as the grey nurse shark, these sharks live in coastal areas and hunt for food in reefs, shallow bays, and shipwrecks. Sand tiger sharks have narrow, pointed mouths full of sharp teeth. They grow to about 10.5 feet in length.

A unique feature of sand tiger shark reproduction is that the largest embryo in the shark’s uterus will kill and eat eggs or smaller siblings before it is born. However, after birth, sand tiger sharks do not exhibit cannibalistic behavior.

Why Are Sharks Found Near Shipwrecks?

When ships sink and fall to the bottom of the seafloor, over time, a diverse habitat grows. Fish use the structure to hide from predators, plants begin to grow, and larger creatures hang out around it to hunt for food. Invertebrates, coral, and algae grow over surfaces. Small fish are attracted to the food source, and larger animals, such as sharks, follow them.

Shipwrecks are important to sand tiger sharks in particular. Scientists found that female sand tiger sharks return to the same shipwrecks off the coast of North Carolina year after year. Although researchers don’t know exactly why the female sharks keep returning, they think it could be as a rest stop on their migration path, to feed, to mate, or to give birth.

About the SS Papoose Shipwreck off the Coast of North Carolina

Divers head to shipwrecks in the North Carolina waters to view the amazing show of wildlife. One diving team had a surprise when they were viewing a large number of female sand tiger sharks on the sunken SS Papoose. The Papoose was a steamer tanker sunk by a German submarine in 1942 during World War II. Today, it’s a popular hangout spot for sand tiger sharks.

In the video from Instigator Fishing & Diving, a diver near the Papoose is surrounded by sand tiger sharks. But the diver gets a surprise when a great white shark comes into view. You can hear the diver scream in surprise when the big shark appears. The great white shark dwarfs the other sharks swimming nearby with its massive size.

Do Great White Sharks Hang Out Around Shipwrecks?

Sand tiger sharks are not the only shark species that are attracted to the artificial reefs made by shipwrecks. Researchers from the non-profit group Ocearch tag and track sharks to learn more about their behavior. They have tracked great white sharks off the coast of North Carolina, swimming around the many shipwrecks in the area.

As recently as March 2025, researchers from Ocearch tagged a 9.5-foot-long, 460-pound shark that they named Danny, swimming off the coast of the Outer Banks. Another even larger great white, a 13-foot, 1,700-pound shark named Mahone, was tracked swimming in the Oregon Inlet of the Outer Banks.

Researchers have learned that great whites migrate south to Florida in the winter, then head back up the coast to stay off New England and Canada during the summer.

Are Great White Sharks More Dangerous to Humans Than Sand Tiger Sharks?

Was the diver in the video in danger when the great white appeared in view? The diver was hanging back a safe distance and not disturbing the wildlife. If they aren’t provoked, sand tiger sharks are generally not aggressive towards humans.

Great whites, on the other hand, are one of the top shark species known to attack humans. However, even great white sharks typically won’t bite a human unless they are provoked, feel threatened, or mistake the human for prey. Experts agree that if you see a great white shark, remain calm and stand your ground. If you try to swim away quickly, the shark could mistake that for fleeing prey. It’s also best to stay out of the water when it’s dark or murky. Great whites use their eyes to hunt, but they could get mistaken when the lighting is bad.