Overview
- The encounter occurred in late April when filmmaker Carlos Gauna was kayaking off Southern California and trailing an underwater camera behind his kayak; the shark surged, clamped down on the tow‑camera and cracked its protective dome.
- Multiple outlets published the multi‑angle footage on May 26, corroborating drone and boat cameras that captured the shark’s approach, the bite, and Gauna’s real‑time reaction.
- Gauna said he temporarily lost communication with his friend operating the drone just before the bite, which left him unaware of the shark’s exact position until he felt a tug and saw the splash.
- Gauna estimated the shark at about 7 to 8 feet, called the behavior exploratory rather than aggressive, and suggested the animal may have been drawn to electrical or electromagnetic signals from the equipment during an active feeding period.
- The filmmaker declined to disclose the precise site to avoid directing fishermen to the animals and stressed safety lessons for ocean users; state agencies note that white shark sightings are common near shore but unprovoked attacks on people in California are rare.