Shark Had Diver's Head in It's Jaws!

Marine Biology student, Jenny Oliver, 25, had an encounter that she will never forget!

Jenny Oliver was diving in Fiordland, New Zealand, when she was bitten on the head by a shark. Ms Oliver only escaped the clutches of the Seven-Gill Shark after her dive partner repeatedly punched the shark in the nose.

As a masters student in Marine Biology at Victoria University, Ms Oliver was part of a dive team assisting in an operation to remove pest weed from Sunday Cove when the shark approached her. The Seven-Gill Shark made several attempts to bite Ms Oliver's oxygen supply, before taking her head in its jaws.

Department of Conservation marine ranger Richard Kinsey, who was diving with Ms Oliver, captured the frightening episode on his video camera.

Ms Oliver told Fairfax she was "more surprised than scared" when the shark first bit her regulator.

"[I] felt that staying calm and letting him figure out that my dive gear wasn't food would be better than aggravating him," she said.

However, the shark would not leave Ms Oliver alone. It gave up biting her regulator, only to start biting her head and she became trapped in its jaws.

Luckily, with the cold waters of Southern New Zealand, she was wearing a thick wetsuit hood.

Ms Oliver's dive buddy acted quickly, punching the shark in the nose.

"Clearly, I was nervous when the shark was shaking the top of my head in its jaw, but it was all over so fast there was barely time for me to react," she said.

Ms Oliver stated that the experience had not put her off diving in Fiordland. "I'm looking forward to the next trip. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to dive and spend time in such a special place".

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/8197488/Shark-had-divers-head-in-its-jaws