A Netflix film crew experienced a real-life "Jaws" scenario while filming for the "Planet II" docuseries near Laysan, a northwestern Hawaiian Island. The team, initially intending to capture underwater footage of tiger sharks in the shallows, found themselves under attack when two 15-foot sharks aggressively targeted their inflatable boats.
Series producer Huw Cordey recounted the harrowing experience to Forbes, describing how the sharks' sudden aggression forced the panicked crew to make an emergency landing on the sand. Producer/director Toby Nowlan provided a vivid account to Radiotimes.com, detailing how one shark created "huge holes" in a boat, causing it to explode. He emphasized the rarity of such attacks, speculating that a scarcity of natural food might have driven the sharks' unusual behavior.
Tiger sharks are notorious for their indiscriminate diet, consuming almost anything they encounter. Oceana.org, a global ocean conservation organization, notes their consumption of diverse prey, including other sharks, sea turtles, and even inanimate objects. Specifically in Hawaii, tiger sharks are known to prey on green turtles and Hawaiian monk seals, occasionally even mistaking human appendages for food.
This frightening encounter prompted the film crew to shift their focus. Instead of sharks, they documented the six-week journey of a Laysan albatross chick, culminating in its first flight. Cordey highlighted the significance of this change, emphasizing the albatross's long lifespan and extensive global journeys before breeding. The resulting footage became part of the "Planet II" series, which premiered on Netflix in June and explores wildlife and environmental challenges worldwide.
