The team had been gathering material for the David Attenborough documentary Our Planet II. They were operating an inflatable boat around the Laysan area of Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in order to capture footage of tiger sharks consuming young albatross fledglings.

"This 'v' of water came streaming towards us and this tiger shark leapt at the boat and bit huge holes in it. The whole boat exploded," Toby Nowlan, director and producer, reported. Fortunately, the boat was just about 330 feet from the closest beach and had enough air to safely transport the crew ashore.

Tiger sharks have recently been spotted in greater numbers in the waters surrounding Hawaii, according to locals. They are renowned for their ferocious appetite and aggressive nature. According to Ocean Conservancy, tyres and licence plates have been found inside their stomachs.

Nonetheless, sharks in general—even tiger sharks—seldom attack people.