Iñaki, a seasoned diver, had an unexpected and heart-stirring encounter with a shark. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen this majestic creature, but this moment was different and much more profound than any other he had.
Iñaki’s job takes him into the ocean depths, where he introduces his guests to the wonders of marine life. The beauty of the sea never gets old, even though he’s seen it countless times.
On one particular dive with four tourists, Iñaki spotted a shark with a thin piece of string hanging from its mouth. Sharks are common in these waters, but this one was clearly in trouble.
As Iñaki swam closer, his heart ached for the creature. The string was attached to a fishing net that had wrapped tightly around the shark’s mouth.
The poor thing couldn’t remove it on its own, and Iñaki knew that if it stayed tangled, the shark could eventually starve or get caught in more dangers like boat propellers or rocks. It was a matter of life and death.
Despite the shark’s imposing size and powerful presence, Iñaki wasn’t scared. His years in the water had taught him to respect these creatures, not fear them.
He believed this shark wasn’t a threat; it was a victim who needed help, as he shared in a YouTube video:
“I didn’t look at the shark as a dangerous creature I thought it was a marine animal that needs my help.”
Iñaki grabbed hold of the string and gave a gentle pull. The shark tugged back a little, as if testing the man’s intentions.
But to his relief, the creature didn’t show aggression, as he explained:
“The shark didn’t react aggressively against me, just the opposite. The shark somehow knew that I was there to help.”
With each pull, Iñaki felt the shark working with him, writhing and shaking its head, trying to free itself from the net.
Just when it seemed they were making progress, Iñaki lost his grip. However, he wasn’t going to give up.
After checking on his team, he swam back to the shark, determined to finish what he started. This time, with a stronger tug, the net finally came free, as he shared:
“I could feel the vibrations of the shark very close to me. But in that second time, I was determined not to leave the line, so we both were, like, working on a team, and at the end, I could feel – clack!”
Free at last, the shark swam away. But what happened next took everyone by surprise.
Instead of disappearing, the rescued shark returned with another shark, circling them slowly. To Iñaki, this was no ordinary swim – it was a moment of silent gratitude, as he put it:
“That very moment, for me, it was the happiest moment in my life. After all that happened, I was in ecstasy… The shark came back, I guess, just to say thank you.”
Sharks typically don’t approach people and they usually just swim their way. That’s why Iñaki believes this shark came back to show him gratitude in the only way it knew how.
Its eyes seemed to speak what words could not: “Thank you. You saved my life.”
Isn’t it incredible how connected we are with nature, and how even the smallest acts of kindness can bring us closer to animals?