This is the terrifying moment a massive Great White smashes through a British diver’s shark cage – missing him by inches and leaving him swimming for his life.
Chilling footage shows just how close Jimi Partington came to death as the crazed creature lunges at the transparent box he is in, shattering it into pieces.
Suddenly Partington’s worst nightmare becomes a reality and there is nothing between him and the 5,000lb bloodthirsty beast.
Multiple camera angles captured the encounter in the Pacific Ocean, showing Partington inside the protective cage while it was floating on the water.
Part of the box was submerged, allowing the expert diver to peer down into the depths without being fully underwater himself.
The footage begins with Partington crouched at the bottom cage while in full diving gear, including a snorkel and flippers.
Unlike typical shark diving cages that are made from metal and lowered into the water, Partington’s protective cage appears to be made from some type of strong plastic.
Drone footage from above the cage shows the shark arriving before ominously swimming around Partington as he watches from above.
The terrifying moment a huge Great White smashes through a British diver’s shark cage – missing him by inches and leaving him swimming for his life was captured on camera
Chilling footage shows just how close Jimi Partington came to death as the crazed creature lunges at the opaque box he was in, shattering it into pieces
Partington is tipped into the water, sending him into a panic as he tries to climb back onto the cage away from the terrifying predator. Unable to climb back on, and with the shark still circling, the diver decides to make a break for it, swimming as fast as he can to safety
Pictured: The shark turns its attention to the diver in the cage. It swims at the cage a couple of times, veering off at the last minute, as if to size up its prey
Another camera, this time under the surface, shows the shark as it begins to circle the cage.
At first, the creature appears more interested in the fish swimming below the tank than in Partington.
However, the huge predator then starts circling closer and closer to the see-through cage.
Soon, the shark turns its attention to Partington. It swims at the cage a couple of times, veering off at the last minute appearing to size up its prey.
At this point in the footage, Partington can be seen kneeling up in the enclosure, and appears both startled and amazed by how close the shark came.
But he could never have anticipated what would happen next.
Making another approach from below the cage, the shark suddenly accelerates.
When it reaches Partington, it clamps its huge jaw around the box, and appears to break it open and cause it to capsize.
Partington is tipped into the water, sending him into a panic as he tries to scramble back onto what is left of the cage and escape the terrifying predator.
Pictured: Partington peers through the bottom of the opaque cage as the shark swims below
However, the huge ocean predator begins to circle closer and closer to the see-through cage, and Partington looks very small compared to the beast
At first, the shark (pictured looming through the dark) appears more interested in the fish swimming below the tank than it is in Partington and his diving cage
But he is unable to climb on top and, with the shark still circling, he realises his only option is to make a break for it.
The diver swims as fast as he can away from the box back to the safety of the boat.
The heart-stopping footage was captured for a film called ‘Great White Open Ocean’, and was posted online as part of Discovery’s Shark Week.
The film’s director and producer Jeff Kurr said: ‘Great White Open Ocean is a film that follows the story of a friend of mine, an expert shark diver named Jimi Partington. He actually survived being hit from below by a 16-foot Great White.
‘We were able to capture this encounter on film, and it’s probably the most spectacular sequence in Shark Week history.
‘It’s also miraculous, because when Jimi was hit by the shark, he didn’t get a scratch on him. He actually had to swim for his life back to the boat, but he was fine.’
Partington shared some of the footage – which was taken in 2021 – to his Instagram page.
Pictured: The huge 16-foot shark is shown swimming underneath Partington in the cage
Great white sharks (pictured, file photo) are known to attack humans – particularly surfers. Experts say this is likely because they mistake their surfboards for other creatures like seals
In the caption, he said: Its been three years in the making and I can’t wait for you all to see my incredible journey, including the closest I’ve ever been to a Great White Shark!’
The video demonstrated how great white sharks are understood to hunt.
Using their speed and colouring, they are able to get below their prey – such as sea lions and seals – as it swims closer to the surface of the ocean.
From this ideal position, great whites use a powerful bust of speed to attack their target from below, bursting out of the water with the animal in its huge jaws.
Great whites are known to attack humans – particularly surfers. Experts say this is likely because they mistake their surfboards for other creatures like seals.
There are around 3,500 of the terrifying predators left in the wild, with hunters targeting their teeth, meat and fins, to make soup.
They weigh 2.5 tons or more – the approximate weight of a car. And among all species of shark, Great Whites are the ones it is most sensible to fear.
Between a third and half of shark attacks each year are perpetrated by them.
