Shark Chases Two Surfers On Puerto Rico Beach, Close Encounter Caught On Camera [Watch]

Two surfers enjoying the choppy waters of Puerto Rico had their day turn into a nightmare after a very close encounter with a massive shark.

The entire incident was captured on camera by Jorge Benitez at Middles Beach on the northern shore of the island. Benitez was filming a stingray that had breached the water surface when he suddenly spotted the dorsal fin of the shark following the surfers.

"I didn't see until I watched the video again because it was following a stingray," Benitez told NBC-affiliated 9news. "That's what I was originally filming."

"It was scary to see, especially having a friend so close in the water," he added.

In the video, one of the surfers, identified as Rolando Montes, could be seen desperately trying to paddle away as the shark thrashes in the water near him. A fellow surfer is also seen trying to get away. The shark briefly followed the two surfers.

Benitez believes the shark is a hammerhead and could have been approximately two to four meters in length.

Even though a large hammerhead is considered potentially dangerous as they are defensive creatures and can attack when provoked, there have been very few records of attack on humans. Hammerheads do not actively seek out human prey, according to National Geographic.

"This is the first shark I see. Although it's known they are around the areas, but apparently, they have enough food so we barely have incidents if any," Benitez said, New York Post reported.

Both surfers were able to escape the incident without injury.

Shark attacks are rare in the waters of Puerto Rico. The last attack was reported in 2011, according to the outlet.

Last month, an Australian swimmer had a similar close call with a large shark while taking a solo dip in waist-deep water at Sydney's Maroubra beach. The incident was captured by a drone. The shark swam toward the oblivious swimmer but seemed to lose interest. It was believed to be a six-foot-long gray nurse shark.