Terrible moment ’22ft’ shark spotted on seabed divides opinion

CHILLING footage of a giant shark prowling the seafloor has divided opinion as some argue it proves a prehistoric animal still exists.

Megalodons — which grew to 60 feet and had a 10-foot wide mouth with 276 teeth — went extinct about three million years ago.

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But footage of a giant shark at the bottom of the Mariana Trench has reignited debate, with some users believing it’s proof the colossal creatures still exist.

The clip, which has resurfaced since 2018, shows the animal swimming over what appears to be an abandoned shark cage.

One person commented: “Our oceans are vast and there are vast areas that remain unexplored.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there are Megs out there.”

Another said: “I think they went deeper into the seas like the giant squid, which is why we never see them.”

But others say the creature is simply an ordinary sleeper shark, capable of surviving at least 2,000 meters below the surface.

It comes after a six-year-old boy found a tooth from a megalodon.

The rare 4-inch megalodon gnasher is 20 million years old.

Sammy Shelton took it to school and to his Beaver Scouts.

He said: “I am very satisfied and will keep it safe.”

His family had been walking on the beach at Bawdsey in Suffolk shortly after the May Day flood.

Father Peter, 60, of Bradwell, Norfolk, said: “Sammy was hoping to find a shark tooth or two when he spotted this giant.

“We recognized immediately that they were a megalodon, but didn’t know how rare they were until we spoke to other fossil hunters.

“People were pretty excited.”

Megalodons were featured in Jason Statham’s 2018 film The Meg.