The world's fastest shark which can reach speeds of up to 43mph has been spotted lurking off the coast of Spain.
Divers spotted the great mako shark, which can grow up to 15ft long, for the first time in 10 years near the Barcelona shoreline.
The sighting was recorded last week near the village of Garraf during an expedition of the Cetacean Association.
Members of the charity claimed they have not encountered the species on the coast over the past ten years.
Underwater photographer David Jara captured the spectacular sighting in a photograph which showed the shark's fin gliding through the Mediterranean Sea.
"We saw a large black shadow in motion. We were a bit confused," he told Spanish newspaper El Pais.
"But suddenly we saw something protruding from the sea. At first we thought it was a sunfish, but soon we noticed a dorsal fin.
"Then we approached, stopped at a safe distance and he also approached the boat. It was impressive”.
The shark was sighted around 10 miles off the coast of Barcelona province in an area where the association monitors whales, dolphins and porpoises due to the depths of its waters.
David told how he wanted to jump into the sea to record the animal with the camera in his hands but that he "knew that would not have been the right thing to do."
The photographer explained that the team did not know what species it was initially, but that it was later identified as the mako shark.
Estimated at around 8ft long, the sea creature appeared to be swimming calmly without any signs of injury.
Marine biologist Claudio Barria commented: "I have no record of a video made of a short fin mako from underwater in the Spanish Mediterranean."
He added that the sighting was a "good sign" for the Mediterranean ecosystem as the species is critically endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Expert defend the large predator as far from being dangerous to humans and a key component of sea life, regulating the number of various other species and helping to keep marine ecosystems balanced.
The sharks swim long distances to seek mates or prey and mainly feed on cephalopods and bony fish such as mackeral, tuna, bonito and swordfish.
Known for their speed, mako sharks can leap into the air when hooked making it a highly sought after game fish worldwide.
While its speed, power and size make it perfectly capable of killing humans, the species generally does not attack humans or treat them as prey.
Most recent attacks are considered to have been provoked due to harassment or the shark being caught on a fishing line.
