Is Diving with Sharks Dangerous?
Sharks are big and dangerous animals, right?
Well, not quite. Of course, there are species you should be careful with — like tiger sharks or oceanic whitetips — but most shark species are actually afraid of us. And that’s probably a good thing.
Most sharks are not at the top of the food chain, which means they have plenty of enemies. That’s why they tend to avoid anything that seems strange, splashes a lot, or makes noise. So, diving with sharks isn’t necessarily dangerous — as long as you know how to behave around the particular species you encounter.You’ve probably heard about the incidents around Egypt’s Brother Islands involving oceanic whitetip sharks (Carcharhinus longimanus). The dive site was temporarily closed because of a few encounters between divers and sharks — encounters that didn’t end well for the divers.
I’ve guided countless trips to the Brother Islands and was responsible for the safety of our guests underwater. I’m not a renowned shark specialist, but I am an experienced guide — and I’d like to share some of that experience with you.
A Shark Paradise in the Middle of the Red Sea
The Brother Islands are two offshore islands located about seven hours by boat from the Egyptian coast in the Red Sea. There’s a larger island with a lighthouse and a smaller one about a kilometer away, connected underwater by a deep ridge.
They’re so far from the coast that there’s nothing else around. The islands are military territory, and apart from the lighthouse, there’s nothing but rock. Well — above water, that is.
Underwater, it’s a paradise. With their steep, coral-covered walls, the islands are home or meeting places for many marine species. During the right season, you can encounter a variety of sharks here: thresher sharks, silky sharks, grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, tiger sharks, hammerheads, whale sharks, and of course, the oceanic whitetip — or longimanus.
That last one is the main reason many divers visit the Brothers. There are only two places in the world where you can regularly dive with them. But why the fascination with the longimanus?
I think it’s because this shark, with its bold and curious behavior, reminds divers who’s boss. It’s extremely inquisitive and likes to inspect divers up close — sometimes coming within a few meters or even brushing against cameras. Exciting dives indeed!
But is it dangerous to dive with a longimanus?
No — as long as you, the diver, know what you’re doing.
When Things Go Wrong
Few years ago, there were four incidents involving oceanic whitetips at the Brother Islands. In one video circulating online, you can clearly see that the divers were behaving incorrectly.
The longimanus is the king of the surface waters. And when you behave poorly in front of a king — well, there can be consequences. One diver lost a chunk of his calf to the shark’s jaws. The other incidents were less severe: one diver got bite marks on his hip and leg, and another had a torn BCD. Still, it was enough for Egyptian authorities to intervene and temporarily close the site.
The Brothers reopened in mid-March, but some things have changed.
- Boats can no longer stay overnight.
- Organic waste must be dumped at least five miles away.
- There are now set dive hours.
- All crew and guides have undergone shark-behavior training.
- Dive boats now require special permits, and the number of daily visitors is limited.
So, are you safe diving with a longimanus now? Safer, at least. There are fewer stimuli for the sharks, and divers are much more aware of how to behave.
How to Dive Safely with an Oceanic Whitetip
First of all, remember: it’s a wild animal — and it is at the top of the food chain. It behaves like a confident macho with big jaws.
The longimanus often lingers around boats because there’s always something happening there. You’ll usually find it beneath the boats at 5–10 meters depth. It hunts for weak or careless “animals” — those that don’t behave properly.
- They react to unusual or fleeing behavior, so as a diver, you must avoid that. Show that you’re not prey:
- Stay vertical in the water.
- Keep eye contact with the shark and slowly turn with it as it passes — this signals that you’re not a threat.
- Stay close to your dive group.
- Maintain good buoyancy control — don’t bob up and down.
- Avoid kicking your fins unnecessarily or flailing your arms.
Never swim away from the shark or spin around in circles trying to avoid it. Flapping or erratic movements look like distress or flight — exactly what triggers a longimanus.
Also: don’t make loud noises, don’t get between the shark and something it’s interested in (like food), and limit the time you spend at the surface. When exiting the water, do so calmly with minimal splashing.
In short: don’t behave like prey. Stay calm, stay in a group, make yourself visible — and there’s nothing to fear. You’ll have a safe, unforgettable experience with one of the ocean’s most magnificent creatures.
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