DRAMATIC video shows a huge shark leaping high out of the water and landing on the deck of a boat.
Panicked anglers cry “Oh s***!” and scurry for safety as the massive beast falls on top of them.
A huge mako shark leaps into the air next to a fishing boat
It hits one of the anglers as it lands on the deck
Panicking fishermen scurry for safety
The saltwater fishermen hooked at least one Atlantic shortfin mako – the world’s fastest shark – off the coast of Massachusetts, US.
Amid a struggle, one shark can be seen leaping from the surface around 20 yards beyond the stern of their charter boat.
Seconds later another large mako surges into the air right beside the boat and comes crashing down on the deck.
It appears to hit one angler – who initially appears trapped by his fishing rod connected to a support belt.
Another man flails backwards with the shark on top of his foot before he frees himself and runs up a ladder for safety.
The shark is left writhing and thrashing between the seats as the footage ends.
The viral video was posted on Instagram with the caption: “Pucker factor is at an all time high. This mako went full air assault mode.
“It’s super rare for a mako to jump into a boat as it is but to also get it on camera. Unheard of.”
No one on board was injured, according to reports, but it not clear what happened to the shark.
A new federal law to protect the species – which is struggling on the US east coast – requires anglers to throw makos back into the water.
However its sheer size alone would have made it hard for the crew to haul it over the side – even without the danger of its razor-sharp teeth.
Shortfin makos – also known as blue pointers and bonito sharks – grow up to 13ft and 1,200lbs.
The “cheetahs of the sea” are famed for their incredible swimming speeds of up to 46mph in short bursts.
It has no natural predators but is classed as endangered worldwide after being hunted for sharkfin soup and leather, and 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed as a fisheries bycatch.
The species has long been a favourite among offshore anglers because of its aerial acrobatics when hooked.
They can easily out-jump marlin, and there are several stories of hooked makos leaping into boats.
For this reason, some charter captains recommend moving the boat during the battle and trying to keep the shark away from the stern, reports Outdoor Life.
In 2017, another video showed a bloodied mako struggling to escape after leaping into a boat and getting stuck.
It thrashed wildly as crew members battled to free it from metal railings off Long Island, New York.
It is a different species from the great mako, which grows up to 15ft and was spotted off Spain for the first time in July this year.
A great mako was blamed for mauling two tourists to death hours apart in the Red Sea in July.
One man appears to have his foot stuck under the shark
He runs up a ladder, leaving the shark thrashing on deck
