Fisherman Ercan Savaş Rescues Giant Shark off Hatay and Releases It

Amateur fisherman Ercan Savaş was out on his boat in the waters off Payas, a district of Hatay Province, Turkey, when a large sand‑barred shark (camgöz) became hooked on his line. He spent several minutes battling the animal, eventually freeing it from the hook and returning the shark to the Mediterranean Sea.

Savaş described the encounter, saying, "We both fought, but at least one of us won. The shark is dangerous and huge – almost the size of my boat. I pulled the hook out and released it, thank God it’s swimming away now." The incident was recorded on video and shared online, drawing attention to the unusual rescue of a wild shark by a local fisherman.