A massive reef shark attacked a diver’s hand as a pack of 20 big fish circled around them in coastal waters.
The horrific moment was snapped by an underwater photographer as his mate pulled his hand from the seven foot Caribbean Reef shark's mouth.
Tanner Manseland and his friend Chang Sien Chin were swimming in Nassau, Bahamas when the sharks descended on them.
Chang, who is originally from Australia, was wearing shark armour which stopped any damage from the shark's savage teeth.
But Tanner, of Florida, US, was completely unprotected while taking the amazing photographs of his friend from five feet away.
He shared the images on social media site Instagram and revealed he was not wearing any protective clothing.
The risky move meant his friend had a narrow escape with the shark, but he managed to capture it on camera and show how close Chang came to losing a limb.
He said: “I was not wearing any chain mail. I was unprotected, however, this is what makes these moments fun for me.
"I am in the moment, among 20+ sharks swarming the bait box, waiting for something amazing to happen and in this case it was my friend Chang pulling his arm out of a sharks mouth."
Instagram users were astonished by images of the terrifying moment which could have have ended on a much more serious note.
One shocked user commented: “Insane.”
“Wow, wow, wow, wow,” another added.
Someone else said: “Badass.”
Tanner told how the dangerous moments which could have ended so differently are what keeps him doing what he does
He posted: “These moments make me feel alive, the adrenaline and intensity of the moment is not overwhelming but very much so impactful.
"However I am also in the moment and not thinking about everything else going on in the world. I love being with sharks. All your problems disappear and it’s just you, and them.”
A life of danger has appealed to him for much of his life and as a child he recalls catching fish with a spear and this has remained with him as he grew older.
Tanner now sees it as a means of turning ocean exploration into a career and the thrill of swimming with sharks and the danger it brings is something he now thrives on
After diving and spear fishing as a child, his fascination with the big beasts continued and he became fixated on sharks and documenting his dives eventually became more than a hobby.
He says being in the water with the dangerous beasts is a buzz he wants to have all his life.
He added: “The first time I swam with sharks I had never felt so in the moment and at peace with the world and I realised I had to find a way to do it for the rest of my life.
"I picked up photography to document my journey and have since turned it into my career.”
