All language subtitles for River.Monsters.S09E01.1080p.AMZN.WEBRip.DD+2.0.x264-VLAD_track3_[eng]

I'M JEREMY WADE.

I'M AN EXPLORER AND BIOLOGIST.

FISHING IS MY PASSION.

ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY
CATCHES OF MY LIFE.

TIME AND AGAIN,
THIS PASSION HAS HELPED ME

SOLVE BOTH FRESHWATER
AND MARINE MYSTERIES.

THIS THING REALLY IS
A RIVER MONSTER.

NOW I'M TAKING ON THE BIGGEST

AND MAYBE MOST COMPLEX
INVESTIGATION OF MY CAREER.

THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE BEAST.

A DRAMATIC STORY
OF UNTOLD DEPTHS,

OF 2,500 SOULS SHIPWRECKED
IN THE MID-ATLANTIC,

AND THE HORRIFIC FATE OF
OVER 1,000 WHO NEVER MADE IT.

THE SCREAMING -- THE SCREAMS
WERE JUST TERRIBLE.

A STORY THAT'S NEVER
BEEN FULLY TOLD.

RIGHT HERE --
FIN ON THE SURFACE.

THIS INVESTIGATION WILL
LEAD ME ON A GLOBAL JOURNEY

TO UNCOVER WHAT REALLY HAPPENED
IN THE WATER THAT NIGHT.

IT WILL TAKE ME DEEPER THAN
I'VE EVER BEEN BEFORE --

DOWN INTO THE ABYSS

TO CONFRONT SEA MONSTERS
IN THEIR OWN DOMAIN.

I FEEL LIKE AN ASTRONAUT
LANDING ON THE MOON.

-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

THE SINKING OF THE BRITISH
PASSENGER STEAMER RMS LACONIA

HAS HAUNTED ME
SINCE I FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT.

IT'S ONE OF
THE MOST FAMOUS STORIES

OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR.

I'VE LEARNED ABOUT
DRAMATIC NEW EVIDENCE

THAT SUGGESTS THERE'S
FAR MORE TO THIS STORY

THAN FIRST MEETS THE EYE.

ON SEPTEMBER THE 12th, 1942,

THE RMS LACONIA WAS
SAILING IN THE MID-ATLANTIC,

BOUND FOR ENGLAND.

SHE WAS CARRYING CIVILIANS
AND SOLDIERS RETURNING HOME

AND HUNDREDS OF
ITALIAN PRISONERS OF WAR

BOUND FOR INTERNMENT CAMPS
IN THE U.K.

SEVERAL DAYS FROM SAFETY

AND HUNDREDS OF MILES
FROM LAND,

SHE WAS ATTACKED
BY A GERMAN U-BOAT.

TWO TORPEDOS STRUCK
HER STARBOARD SIDE

IN QUICK SUCCESSION.

THE LACONIA STARTED TO
TAKE IN WATER FAST.

ACCOUNTS TALK OF
STUNNED PASSENGERS

AND CREW SCRAMBLING TO ESCAPE.

ITALIAN P.O.W.s BROKE OUT
OF THEIR HOLDING CELLS

AND TRIED TO FORCE THEIR WAY
OFF THE STRICKEN SHIP.

SOME ATTEMPTED TO BOARD THE
ALREADY OVERLOADED LIFEBOATS

BUT WERE FOUGHT OFF
BY ALLIED SOLDIERS.

THE SCENE TURNED INTO
A BLOODBATH.

AT FIRST GLANCE, THIS IS
AN OPEN-AND-SHUT CASE.

FOR DECADES,
IT HAS BEEN ASSUMED

THAT MOST OF THE PASSENGERS
AND P.O.W.s DROWNED,

AND THOSE WHO DIDN'T
WERE TAKEN BY SHARKS.

BUT I'VE ALWAYS WONDERED

WHETHER THAT WAS
THE WHOLE STORY.

MY PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS
HAVE OFTEN SHOWN

THAT THE ANSWER IS SELDOM
WHAT IS FIRST ASSUMED.

AND NOW I HAVE A CHANCE
TO FIND THE TRUE CULPRITS,

BECAUSE BURIED DEEP INSIDE
THIS ARCHIVE,

I'VE DISCOVERED A FORGOTTEN
CACHE OF EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS

FULL OF CLUES THAT COULD
TURN THIS STORY ON ITS HEAD.

MANY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
ENDED UP IN THE WATER,

WHERE SOME MYSTERIOUSLY
JUST DISAPPEARED.

DRAGGED BENEATH THE SURFACE

WITH ONLY THEIR LIFE JACKETS
EVER RE-EMERGING.

BODIES FOUND BY RESCUERS
DAYS LATER

HAD BEEN ATTACKED
BY CREATURES IN THE WATER.

AND OF THOSE,
A NUMBER SHOWED BITE MARKS

THAT STILL DON'T POINT TO
ANY OBVIOUS PERPETRATOR.

THIS NEW EVIDENCE SUGGESTS
MULTIPLE MYSTERY ATTACKERS.

BUT WHAT WERE THEY?

WITH OVER 1,000 VICTIMS,

THIS WILL BE A HUGE
AND COMPLEX CASE.

BUT USING THE ACCOUNTS OF
THOSE WHO LIVED THROUGH IT,

I'M GOING TO FIND OUT WHAT
HAPPENED TO THOSE WHO DIDN'T.

THE PEOPLE WHO WROTE
THOSE EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS

ARE LONG GONE,

BUT THERE IS ONE SURVIVOR
WHO I HAVE MANAGED TO FIND.

I'M ON MY WAY TO MEET A WOMAN

WHO WAS ACTUALLY ON THE LACONIA
THAT NIGHT.

SHE IS ONE OF ONLY
A HANDFUL OF SURVIVORS

WHO ARE STILL ALIVE TODAY.

AT THE TIME,
SHE WAS JUST A 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL,

AND SHE WAS FLEEING
THE WAR IN SINGAPORE.

AND SHE WAS TRAVELING WITH

HER MOTHER, HER FATHER,
AND HER BROTHER.

**

Wade: WHAT HAPPENED WHEN
SUDDENLY IT WAS NO LONGER

NORMALITY ON THE BOAT
AT THAT POINT?

IT WAS 8:00.

AND THE FIRST TORPEDO STRUCK.
IT WAS AWFUL.

BUT BY THE TIME
YOU GATHERED YOUR SENSES,

THE SECOND ONE HIT.

JOSEPHINE AND HER FAMILY

ONLY HAD MINUTES
TO GET UP ON DECK.

MY FATHER THREW
THE LIFE JACKETS AT US.

AND HE SAID, "COME ON,
THE LIFEBOAT STAGE."

WE DROPPED EVERYTHING,
RUSHED OUT OF THE CABIN.

[ SCREAMING ]

THE SCREAMING --

THE SCREAMS
WERE JUST TERRIBLE.

IT WAS TOTAL --
TOTAL CHAOS.

THEY LOWERED OUR LIFEBOAT
TO THE SEA,

AND MINUTE IT HIT THE WATER,

PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO
CLIMB INTO IT, AS WELL.

THEY WERE HAVING TO
BE PUSHED AWAY.

WE COULDN'T TAKE ANY MORE.

I WITNESSED AN ITALIAN
PRISONER OF WAR

BEING SHOT
BY A MAN IN OUR LIFEBOAT.

HE WAS TRYING TO GET ON.

AND HE WAS SHOT.

THAT WAS WAR --

WAR AT ITS WORST.

SO THE MEN ROWED,
AND THEY ROWED, AND THEY ROWED.

AND WE MANAGED TO GET
QUITE A WAY FROM THE SHIP.

AND WHEN WE LOOKED,
THE STERN CAME UP,

AND THEN IT WENT DOWN.

AND THEN EVERYWHERE WAS
PITCH-BLACK.

THE NEXT DAY, I REALIZED
THE WATER WAS PINK

BECAUSE
THERE WAS SO MUCH BLOOD.

AND THAT WAS WHEN I REALIZED
THAT THERE WERE SHARKS

BECAUSE YOU COULD SEE THE TIPS
OF THE FINS AT ONE STAGE.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW,
NOW AND AGAIN,

YOU'D GET ONE A BIT NEARER

BECAUSE THEY'D BEEN
CIRCLING THE BOAT.

IT WAS AWFUL.

I'M NOT SURPRISED
THAT JOSEPHINE SAW SHARKS.

I KNOW THEY ARE
PART OF THE STORY.

BUT TELLINGLY, SHE SAYS THAT
SHE DIDN'T SEE THEM

UNTIL THE NEXT DAY.

I KNOW THAT IN
THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH,

PEOPLE WERE ATTACKED
BY SOMETHING.

BUT IF IT WASN'T SHARKS,
THEN WHAT WAS IT?

THIS IS THE BIGGEST CASE
I'VE LOOKED INTO BY FAR.

WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT
SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED

IN THE MIDDLE OF 75 MILLION
SQUARE MILES OF OCEAN,

WHERE ON EARTH DO YOU START?

THE LACONIA'S
LAST RECORDED POSITION

WAS 5 DEGREES SOUTH
AND 11 DEGREES WEST

IN AROUND 12,000 FEET OF WATER,

700 MILES FROM MAINLAND AFRICA.

TRYING TO OPERATE AT
THE SITE OF THE SINKING

WOULD BE A LOGISTICAL
IMPOSSIBILITY.

BUT I GET LUCKY.

I RECEIVE PERMISSION TO TRAVEL
TO A MILITARY BASE --

A TINY SPECK OF LAND

JUST 250 MILES FROM WHERE
THE LACONIA WENT DOWN,

KNOWN AS ASCENSION ISLAND.

ASCENSION IS ONE OF
THE MOST REMOTE ISLANDS

ANYWHERE ON EARTH.

IT'S RIGHT SLAP-BANG
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ATLANTIC,

SORT OF HALFWAY BETWEEN AFRICA
AND SOUTH AMERICA.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR ME,

IT'S THE CLOSEST I CAN GET
TO THE SCENE OF THE INCIDENT.

ASCENSION IS A BRITISH
AND U.S. MILITARY BASE,

AND TRAVEL TO THE ISLAND
IS HEAVILY CONTROLLED.

EVENING.

HELLO.
GOING TO ASCENSION?

AH, YES.
[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]

GAINING ACCESS TO ASCENSION
IS ONE THING,

BUT NOW MY WHOLE INVESTIGATION
HINGES ON

WHAT FISH I FIND
WHEN I GET THERE.

**

**

I'VE MANAGED TO GAIN
PERMISSION TO TRAVEL

TO ONE OF THE MOST REMOTE AND
SECRETIVE ISLANDS ON EARTH --

ASCENSION ISLAND.

NO ONE LIVES HERE PERMANENTLY.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF
THE 800 OR SO PERSONNEL

ARE ON MILITARY CONTRACTS.

WHAT THEY DO IS NOT
PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.

AND SOME AREAS OF THE ISLAND
ARE STRICTLY OFF-LIMITS.

BUT IT'S THE VAST EXPANSE
OF WATER

AROUND THIS SPECK OF LAND
THAT INTERESTS ME.

VERY FEW PEOPLE
GET TO FISH HERE,

EITHER RECREATIONALLY
OR COMMERCIALLY,

WHICH MEANS THAT THE SPECIES
THAT ARE HERE NOW

ARE GONNA BE THE SAME ONES
THAT WERE HERE IN 1942.

THERE'S A 200-MILE EXCLUSION
ZONE AROUND THE ISLAND.

SO ALTHOUGH THESE WATERS ARE
FISHED BY A HANDFUL OF LOCALS,

THEY'VE BEEN PROTECTED FROM
LARGE-SCALE COMMERCIAL FISHING

FOR DECADES.

**

TO HELP ME ASSEMBLE A SUSPECT
LIST FOR THE LACONIA DISASTER,

I'VE BROUGHT WITH ME
THE EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS

FROM THE ARCHIVE.

BUT THEY ARE PROVING
AS FRUSTRATING

AS THEY ARE USEFUL --

TANTALIZINGLY HINTING AT A
NUMBER OF UNDERWATER ATTACKERS

WITHOUT PROVIDING THE DETAIL

THAT COULD LEAD ME
TO A POSITIVE I.D.

BUT ONE THING
DOES COME ACROSS CLEARLY,

AND IT FLIES IN THE FACE
OF CONVENTIONAL WISDOM

IN SUCH CASES.

THE ACCOUNTS ARE UNANIMOUS
IN STATING

THAT SHARKS WERE NOT THE FIRST
ATTACKERS ON THE SCENE.

SO WHAT WAS?

ONE THING I'M COMING ACROSS
AGAIN AND AGAIN

IS THAT A LOT OF THE PEOPLE
IN THE WATER THAT NIGHT

SPEAK OF BEING ATTACKED BY

SCHOOLS OF LARGE, AGGRESSIVE,
SILVERY FISH.

TAKE THIS FROM IAN PEELE,

WHO WAS ONE OF THE MANY PEOPLE
WHO WAS IN THE WATER,

WHO HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET
A PLACE IN A LIFEBOAT.

"IMMEDIATELY,
I HEARD CRIES OF 'SHARK.'"

"BUT IT WASN'T SHARK I SAW,

BUT HUGE NUMBERS OF
LARGE SILVERY FISH

SLICING AND ATTACKING
AT WILL..."

"...EVEN MORE FORMIDABLE
THAN A SHARK."

THE OBVIOUS CULPRIT
IS THE BARRACUDA...

...A FISH
I'VE ENCOUNTERED BEFORE.

BUT I CAN ELIMINATE THEM
FROM THE SUSPECT LIST

BECAUSE FEROCIOUS AS THEY ARE,

THEY TEND TO SCHOOL AND HUNT
AROUND COASTAL REEFS,

NOT IN DEEP, OPEN OCEAN.

**

SO, WHAT EXACTLY WAS
IAN PEELE DESCRIBING?

**

THE MID-ATLANTIC
IS NEW TERRITORY FOR ME,

AND I'M WORKING WITH
LIMITED INFORMATION.

BUT SOMEWHERE OUT THERE,
THERE'S THE SILVERY PREDATOR

THAT WAS FIRST ON
THE LACONIA SCENE.

AND I'VE GOT TO WORK OUT
A WAY TO FIND IT.

**

THE BEST WAY TO COVER
A LARGE SEARCH AREA

IS TO USE A TECHNIQUE
CALLED TROLLING.

WHENEVER YOU'RE FISHING,
THE BIGGEST QUESTION IS,

WHERE ARE YOU GONNA
PUT YOUR BAIT?

AND IN THIS IMMENSITY OF WATER,
THAT'S A VERY BIG QUESTION.

BUT WITH THE ISLAND HERE,

THERE'S A PLATEAU WHERE
IT GRADUALLY GETS DEEPER

OUT TO A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET.

AND THEN IN A VERY SHORT SPACE,

IT PLUNGES DOWN
TO A COUPLE OF THOUSAND

AND THEN KEEPS ON GOING.

AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO
IS GONNA FISH ON THE MOVE

AND JUST GO ALONG THE DROP-OFF
WITH LURES OUT THE BACK.

THE SURVIVORS' ACCOUNTS

DESCRIBE THE FISH
THAT DREW FIRST BLOOD

AS BEING MEDIUM-SIZED AND FAST.

SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING FOR.

ON THE BIG ROD,
WE'RE GONNA PUT THIS.

THIS IS -- YOU CAN SEE THAT
MIMICS A FISH IN THE WATER.

THIS IS QUITE SIGNIFICANT
BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS --

THE WATER CATCHES THAT
AS WE'RE MOVING,

AND IT PUSHES IT DOWN.
IT MAKES IT DIVE,

AND IT GETS A GOOD WIGGLE ON.

SERIOUS HOOKS ON HERE.

THICK WIRE BECAUSE QUITE LIKELY
IF ANYTHING HITS THIS,

IT'S GONNA HAVE TEETH.

IN FACT, YOU CAN SEE
IT'S BEEN HIT A FEW TIMES

BY SOME TOOTHY CREATURES.

SO OFF WE GO.

WE WORK OUR WAY
ALONG THE DROP-OFF.

TO INCREASE MY CHANCES OF A
TAKE IN THE VAST MID-ATLANTIC,

I HAVE TWO DIFFERENT LURES
WORKING AT THE SURFACE

AND TWO DEEPER DOWN.

THE LURES HAVE DEFINITELY
GOT THE ATTENTION OF THE BIRDS,

SO THEY GOT TO LOOK
FAIRLY CONVINCING.

THE FACT IS IT'S SOMETHING
HAPPENING ON THE SURFACE HERE,

WHICH JUST TRIGGERS
THE ATTENTION.

AND WE'RE HOPING
THE SAME WILL HAPPEN

BENEATH THE SURFACE, AS WELL --

GETTING FISH TO COME UP
AND INVESTIGATE.

AS FIRST ON THE LACONIA SCENE,

MY SILVERY SUSPECT WAS CLEARLY
CURIOUS AND QUICK.

SO WHO'S GOING TO BE
FIRST TO HIT?

STEAMING AWAY.
STEAMING AWAY.

I'M IN THE MID-ATLANTIC

ON THE TRAIL OF
A MYSTERY SILVERY PREDATOR

THAT WAS SAID TO BE
FIRST ON THE SCENE

OF A MAJOR MARITIME DISASTER.

SCREAMING TAKE.

AFTER TRYING DIFFERENT LURES,
I FINALLY HAVE A HIT.

**

IS THAT OFF, OR IS IT JUST
COMING TOWARDS ME?

YEAH.

THAT WAS HOOKED UP
FOR 20 SECONDS OR SO,

BUT IT CAME OFF.

SOMETIMES HAPPENS.
IT'S INTERESTING.

YOU'RE JUST COVERING WATER,
COVERING WATER,

NOTHING'S HAPPENING,
NOTHING'S HAPPENING,

AND THEN JUST OUT OF NOWHERE,

SUDDENLY THE REEL IS SCREAMING.

BUT IN THIS CASE,
JUST AS QUICKLY, IT'S GONE.

**

DOLPHINS BESIDE THE BOAT.

THIS IS A REALLY GOOD SIGN.

THE ROD TIP'S REALLY
BANGING AWAY THERE.

THAT'S INDICATIVE OF
THE LURE DOWN THERE

REALLY PUSHING OUT
SOME VIBRATIONS.

IT'S LIKE THE DINNER GONG
GOING OFF.

AND I'VE GOT A GOOD FEELING
ABOUT THAT.

OUT HERE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE OCEAN,

THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT
LAND MASS

TO STOP THE HUGE
ATLANTIC SWELLS.

**

THEN ANOTHER TAKE
ON THE SAME ROD.

THIS TIME, I'M HOPING
IT WILL STAY HOOKED.

THIS IS STEAMING AWAY,
STEAMING AWAY.

**

HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET AT ALL.

IT'S QUITE A RAPID KICK,
WHATEVER IT IS.

I THINK I'VE GOT A BIT OF COLOR.

I CAN SEE SOMETHING DOWN THERE.

OH, THERE IT IS, THERE IT IS.

GOT IT, I THINK.
YEAH, HERE WE GO.

I'VE LANDED A SILVERY FISH
AND AN ENERGETIC ONE.

BUT IS THIS THE FISH
THAT DREW FIRST BLOOD?

SKIPJACK.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE A BIT OF METAL,
ISN'T IT?

AMAZING, THE ENERGY IT'S GOT.

IT'S ACTUALLY VERY MIRROR-LIKE,

AND ACTUALLY, IN OPEN WATER,

THAT'S VERY EFFECTIVE CAMOUFLAGE

IF YOU'RE ABOUT THE SAME
KIND OF DEPTH AS THAT.

IT'S JUST GONNA
BOUNCE THE LIGHT OFF,

AND IT'S ALMOST GONNA DISAPPEAR
INTO THE BACKGROUND.

BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING DOWN
ON IT, IT'S DARK,

SO IT'S PERFECT COUNTER-SHADING.

I DON'T THINK THIS SKIPJACK
IS THE SILVERY PREDATOR

THAT THE EYEWITNESSES
TALK ABOUT.

THESE FISH JUST DON'T
HAVE THE HARDWARE

TO INFLICT
THE SORT OF WOUNDS DESCRIBED.

OFF HE GOES.

I'M GOING TO TRY
A DIFFERENT APPROACH

BY USING TO MY ADVANTAGE

THE STRONG CURRENTS THAT
SWIRL AROUND THE ISLAND.

MAYBE IT WAS SCENT
RATHER THAN SIGHT

THAT BROUGHT IN THE PREDATORS
THAT NIGHT.

THERE'S A WHOLE SARDINE
ON THE END HERE.

AND THE BOAT IS DRIFTING,

SO WE'RE JUST GONNA
SLOWLY DRIFT.

WE'LL KEEP SOME...

KEEP SOME CHUM GOING
IN THE WATER.

JUST TO BRING
THE SMALL STUFF IN,

GET SOME ACTIVITY GOING,

AND HOPEFULLY, BRING IN
THE BIGGER PREDATORS.

**

OILS FROM THESE PIECES OF FISH

LEAVE SCENT TRAILS
IN THE WATER.

AND THE PREDATORS HERE
QUICKLY FIND MY BAIT.

SOMETHING FAST
ALMOST EMPTIES MY REEL.

THAT FISH TOOK
RIGHT NEXT TO THE BOAT.

LOOK AT THAT THING GO,
LEAPING IN THE AIR.

**

THE FISH IS DESPERATELY
TRYING TO THROW THE HOOK.

THEN...

MY LINE GOES SLACK.

OH, IT'S STILL THERE.
IT'S JUST RUNNING TOWARDS ME.

IF I HAD ANY DOUBT
ABOUT THESE WATERS BEING RICH,

HERE'S A BIT OF CONFIRMATION
THERE.

THIS IS A GOOD-SIZE DORADO ON.

THIS CLEARLY ISN'T
A SILVERY ASSAILANT,

BUT IT IS A POWERFUL PREDATOR
IN ITS OWN RIGHT

AND WORTH A CLOSER LOOK.

BEAUTIFUL FISH.
LOOK AT THAT.

DORADO MEANS GOLD, BUT LOOK AT
ALL THE BLUE ON THERE.

ALSO KNOWN AS MAHI-MAHI,
DOLPHINFISH.

THOSE ACROBATIC LEAPS
ARE TOTALLY IN CHARACTER

FOR A HUNTER THAT
TAKES OUT FLYING FISH.

IT'S STILL GOT A LOT OF
STRENGTH, ACTUALLY.

I CAN FEEL IT FLEXING.

BUT DESPITE THEIR OBVIOUS
STRENGTH AND AGILITY,

DORADOS HAVE NEVER BEEN KNOWN
TO POSE A THREAT TO HUMANS.

OFF HE GOES.
OOH, STRONG FISH.

THESE WATERS ARE
TEEMING WITH PREDATORS,

BUT SO FAR, MY CATCHES
DON'T MATCH THE DESCRIPTIONS

IN THE EYEWITNESS REPORTS.

DOUBTS ARE CREEPING
INTO MY MIND.

THE INFORMATION I HAVE
IS JUST TOO SCANT.

MY SEARCH PARAMETERS
ARE TOO WIDE.

GIVEN THE RICHNESS
OF THESE WATERS

AND THE SHEER SCALE
OF THE SEARCH AREA,

I NEED TO SOMEHOW
NARROW MY FOCUS

TO STAND ANY CHANCE OF CATCHING
THIS ELUSIVE KILLER.

I GO BACK TO
THE EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS

AND COME ACROSS ONE
WITH AN INTERESTING CLUE.

JIM McLAUGHLIN
WAS DEEP INSIDE THE SHIP

WHEN THE FIRST TORPEDO HIT.

HE WRITES THAT
THE NOISE WAS CRUSHING,

THAT IT FELT LIKE HE'D BEEN
PUNCHED IN THE HEAD

BY A POWERFUL FIST OF SOUND,

TURNING HIS HEAD TO PUTTY.

HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT
INSIDE THE LACONIA,

PANDEMONIUM HAD ERUPTED.

PEOPLE SCREAMING,

EVERYONE PUSHING AND SHOVING,
CLUTCHING AT HIS LEGS.

SOME OF THEM FALLING BACK INTO
THE DARKNESS OF THE HOLD BELOW.

JIM MADE IT OFF
THE STRICKEN LACONIA

TO THE RELATIVE SAFETY
OF AN EMERGENCY RAFT.

BUT IT'S IN THE WATER WHERE
HIS PROBLEMS REALLY BEGAN.

HE WRITES THAT
HE WAS RESTING ON THE RAFT

ALONE IN THE PITCH DARK
OF THE NIGHT

WHEN SUDDENLY, HE FELT
THE MOST EXCRUCIATING PAIN

IN HIS LEFT CALF.

[ SCREAMS ]

HE DREW HIS LEGS ONTO THE RAFT
IN A BLIND PANIC,

AND HIS FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT
HE'D BEEN BITTEN BY A SHARK.

BUT WHEN HE LOOKED DOWN
AT HIS CALF,

HE SAW GRUESOME,
FANG-LIKE PUNCTURE MARKS.

THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF
PREDATORY SCHOOLING FISH

LIKE THE TWO I'VE ALREADY FOUND
IN THESE WATERS.

BUT THIS NEW EVIDENCE
NARROWS MY SEARCH.

JIM'S DESCRIPTION OF FANGS
IS STRIKING

AND COULD BE
A BREAKTHROUGH LEAD.

THERE IS ONE SCHOOLING PREDATOR
THAT MIGHT FIT THE BILL

WITH SILVERY FLANKS
AND VICIOUS FANGS.

IT'S A MEMBER OF
THE SNAKE MACKEREL FAMILY,

AND IT INHABITS A VAST RANGE
THROUGHOUT THE ATLANTIC.

IT'S CALLED THE SNOEK.

AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, THOUGH,
THEY AREN'T IN OPEN OCEAN,

BUT IN VAST BREEDING SCHOOLS

ALONG THE COAST
OF SOUTH AFRICA.

SO THAT'S WHERE I'M HEADED.

THE SNOEK COULD BE THE FISH
THAT DREW FIRST BLOOD

THE NIGHT
THE LACONIA WENT DOWN.

BUT TO BE SURE,
I NEED TO CATCH ONE.

I'M FISHING OUT OF CAPE TOWN,

THE PORT THAT
THE LACONIA SAILED FROM

ON ITS FATEFUL FINAL VOYAGE.

IT WAS A MONTH NORTHWEST OF
HERE THAT SHE WENT DOWN,

LEAVING HUNDREDS FLOUNDERING
IN THE MID-ATLANTIC WATERS.

**

NOW, THE SNOEK ARE NORMALLY
OUT IN THE OPEN OCEAN,

MIDDLE OF THE ATLANTIC.

BUT AT CERTAIN TIMES OF YEAR,
THEY DO COME IN CLOSE TO LAND.

AND I'M TOLD THAT RIGHT NOW
AT THIS TIME OF YEAR,

IF I GO FISHING
IN THE WATER HERE,

I STAND A CHANCE OF CATCHING ONE
AND HAVING A GOOD LOOK AT ONE.

BEFORE I CAN GET ONE
ON MY LINE,

I HAVE TO FIND OUT
WHERE THE SNOEK ARE SCHOOLING.

AND IN SUCH A HUGE EXPANSE
OF WATER,

I'M GOING TO NEED
A LITTLE HELP.

NOW, SOMETIMES THE BIRDS
GIVE A BIT OF A CLUE

BECAUSE THEY'LL BE --

YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT THAT
BIRD'S-EYE VIEW,

AND THEY CAN SEE
BAIT FISH BEING CHASED.

BUT WE'RE USING TECHNOLOGY,
AS WELL.

WE'RE BASICALLY KEEPING AN EYE
ON THE SONAR SCREEN

BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T JUST
TELL YOU WHERE THE BOTTOM IS,

HOW FAR AWAY THAT IS,

IT WILL SHOW UP FISH, AS WELL.

BUT TIME MIGHT BE AGAINST ME.

THIS IS CAPE POINT AT
THE SOUTHERLY TIP OF AFRICA,

KNOWN HERE AS
THE CAPE OF STORMS.

IT'S THREE HOURS BEFORE
WE GET THE FIRST SIGN OF FISH.

ARE THEY STILL THERE?

Man: HE'S RIGHT HERE.
HE'S RIGHT UNDER US.

ACCORDING TO THE SONAR,

WE'RE RIGHT ABOVE
A SCHOOL OF FISH.

THERE COULD BE ANYTHING BETWEEN

A COUPLE OF HUNDRED
TO A THOUSAND FISH DOWN THERE.

SO WHAT I'M USING IS THIS.
THIS IS ACTUALLY --

IT'S LEAD WITH A BIT OF
COLORATION ON IT.

AND I'M JUST DROPPING THAT
DOWN TO THE BOTTOM,

AND THAT'S WHAT THEY GO FOR.

THESE CAPE FUR SEALS SENSE THAT

THERE MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR EASY PREY.

LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN

A SMALL BAIT-FISH IMITATION
RUNS THE GAUNTLET.

THE SONAR ONLY TELLS ME
SO MUCH.

I KNOWS THERE'S FISH
DOWN THERE,

BUT ARE THEY SNOEK?

HERE WE GO.

WHATEVER I CATCH, I'LL NEED TO
GET IT IN THE BOAT FAST

TO AVOID IT BEING SNATCHED
OFF THE LINE.

IT'S RETRIEVING IT
A BIT ERRATICALLY.

HERE WE GO.
THERE'S ONE, THERE'S ONE.

I'M OFF THE COAST
OF SOUTH AFRICA

ATTEMPTING TO FIND OUT
WHAT HAPPENED

TO PASSENGERS OF
THE DOOMED RMS LACONIA.

HERE WE GO.

I'M CHASING DOWN
A FANGED OPEN-OCEAN PREDATOR,

THE PROBABLE MATCH FOR
WHAT SOME EYEWITNESSES

DESCRIBED SEEING
IN THE WATER THAT NIGHT.

IT'S RETRIEVING IT
A BIT ERRATICALLY.

HERE WE GO.
THERE'S ONE, THERE'S ONE.

THIS FEELS LIKE A GOOD SIZE.

THIS IS TAKING LINE OUT.

THIS FISH IS STRONGER
THAN I ANTICIPATED.

I'VE GOT TO BRING IT IN QUICKLY
'CAUSE THERE'S SEALS AROUND.

THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

THERE IT IS, THERE IT IS,
THERE IT IS.

IT IS A SLEEK SILVERY PREDATOR,
BUT IS IT THE CULPRIT?

HERE WE GO.

RIGHT, I'M BEING
VERY CAREFUL, ACTUALLY,

NOT TO GET TOO CLOSE TO THIS

BECAUSE NOT ONLY HAS IT GOT
VERY SHARP TEETH,

BUT ALSO, APPARENTLY,
IF ONE OF THESE DOES BITE YOU,

IF IT DRAWS BLOOD,
THERE'S ANTICOAGULANT THERE.

YOU JUST WON'T
STOP BLEEDING FOR HOURS.

SO I'M LOOKING AS CLOSE
AS I DARE, BUT NOT TOO CLOSE.

WELL, THIS IS WHAT I CAME HERE,
ALL THIS WAY, FOR.

OPEN OCEAN, SCHOOLING FISH.

THEY'RE FAST, PREDATORY.

WAS THIS THE SILVERY FISH
THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT,

THE SURVIVORS OF THE LACONIA?

AND IN TERMS OF PUNCTURE MARKS,

WELL, THAT IS GONNA
CAUSE A PUNCTURE MARK.

WHAT I'M SEEING NOW
DOES INDEED POINT TO SNOEK

BEING THE FIRST FISH
ON THE SCENE

THE NIGHT
THE LACONIA WENT DOWN.

WHETHER IT WAS JUST CHANCE

OR THE COMMOTION OF
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE

THRASHING ON THE SURFACE
THAT BROUGHT THEM IN,

WE'LL NEVER KNOW.

BUT IT APPEARS THAT
THE PEOPLE IN THE WATER

ENCOUNTERED A SCHOOL OF
THESE FANGED FEROCIOUS FISH.

SNOEK AREN'T GOING TO KILL YOU,

BUT PERHAPS THEIR ACTIVITY

HELPED TO CALL IN
OTHER PREDATORS.

I'VE LANDED ONE SUSPECT,

BUT I'VE GOT
UNFINISHED BUSINESS

BACK AT ASCENSION ISLAND

BECAUSE THE MORE I DIG INTO
THE EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS,

THE MORE THEY REVEAL.

THE THING IS, NORMALLY,
I DON'T HAVE VERY MUCH TO GO ON,

BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE,

THE SHEER QUANTITY
OF INFORMATION

IS STARTING TO MAKE THINGS
QUITE COMPLICATED.

SOME OF THE INJURIES
DESCRIBED BY EYEWITNESSES

WERE CLEARLY NOT CAUSED BY
ANY OF THE USUAL SUSPECTS.

SO IT'S THESE UNUSUAL WOUNDS

THAT I NOW WANT TO
TURN MY ATTENTION TO.

ONE ACCOUNT IS
PARTICULARLY INTERESTING.

FIVE DAYS AFTER
THE LACONIA WAS SUNK,

A FRENCH RESCUE VESSEL
ARRIVED AT THE SCENE

TO SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS.

SOME OF THE BODIES
THEY PULLED OUT

WERE COVERED IN
HIGHLY UNUSUAL BITE MARKS.

IN THE WORDS OF THE ACCOUNT,

THESE WERE NEAT, ROUND HOLES

AS IF MADE BY A PUNCH.

BUT THEN I SEE SOMETHING
MATCHING THIS DESCRIPTION

WITH MY OWN EYES.

AND FISHERMEN HERE TELL ME
THAT THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON.

THIS IS A FRESH ONE.

LOOK AT THESE MARKS
ON THIS DORADO.

CIRCULAR WOUND HERE.

ANOTHER ONE HERE.

THE BEGINNINGS OF ONE THERE.

AND ON THE OTHER SIDE.
THESE ARE ALL FRESH.

THESE ARE CAUSED BY SOMETHING
CALLED A COOKIECUTTER SHARK,

WHICH IS A SMALL SPECIES
OF SHARK.

IT LIVES FAIRLY DEEP DOWN
DURING THE DAYTIME,

BUT WHAT IT DOES --
IT COMES UP AT NIGHT.

AND IT'S A SORT OF A SNEAK,
STEALTH ATTACKER.

I MEAN, YOU THINK OF A DORADO --
THIS IS A FAST FISH.

YOU KNOW, NORMALLY, YOU'RE NOT
GONNA CATCH ONE OF THESE THINGS.

BUT THE COOKIECUTTER
COMES IN VERY QUICKLY,

AND IT BITES A VERY CLEAN
PLUG OF FLESH OUT OF IT.

I WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS
ELUSIVE AND UNUSUAL CREATURE.

**

LOOKING THROUGH PICTURES
OF OTHER BITES

STRENGTHENS THE CASE
AGAINST THE COOKIECUTTER.

THESE WOUNDS ARE
SIGNIFICANTLY BIGGER.

ALTHOUGH THIS UNUSUAL PREDATOR
MAY BE SMALL --

LESS THAN 2 FEET LONG --

IT'S BITE CAN CAUSE
SERIOUS DAMAGE.

AND YET,
THAT SIGNATURE BITE MARK

IS JUST ABOUT THE ONLY EVIDENCE
THAT COOKIECUTTERS EVEN EXIST.

ONE THING THAT IS
KNOWN ABOUT THEM

IS THAT THEY RISE TOWARD
THE SURFACE AT NIGHT TO FEED.

SO IN THE EVENING,

I HEAD OUT TO TRY AND FIND
SIGNS OF ONE FOR MYSELF.

AS FAR AS I'M AWARE,

THE COOKIECUTTER HAS NEVER
BEEN CAUGHT ON A LINE,

SO THIS IS A VERY LONG SHOT.

BUT AT THE VERY LEAST,

I MIGHT SEE WHAT ELSE

IS FEEDING IN THESE WATERS
AFTER DARK --

THE TIME THE LACONIA WENT DOWN.

WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET INTO
POSITION ON THE DROP-OFF.

ABOUT 300 FOOT OF WATER
IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR,

AND THEN WE'RE GONNA
DROP DOWN THE ANCHOR.

AND WE'RE GONNA STAY HERE
INTO THE NIGHT.

THE LACONIA WAS HIT AT AROUND
8:00 P.M. AND SANK BY 9:30,

LEAVING IT STRANDED PASSENGERS

WITH A FULL NIGHT OF HORROR
AHEAD.

HERE ON THE EQUATOR,
YOU DON'T GET LONG EVENINGS.

IT GETS DARK VERY QUICKLY.

SO IF IT'S 7:00
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT,

AND NOW 9:30, PITCH DARK --

HAS BEEN FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS.

I'M USING PIECES OF TUNA

THAT I'M GONNA SEND
DOWN TO THE BOTTOM.

I'M HOPING THIS MIGHT

AT LEAST BRING EVIDENCE
OF A COOKIECUTTER.

**

THE ATLANTIC AT NIGHT
IS EERILY QUIET

AND, APART FROM THE SMALL
POOL OF LIGHT FROM OUR BOAT,

PITCH-BLACK.

I CAN'T HELP BUT MAKE
A CONNECTION BETWEEN THIS BOAT

AND THE LACONIA
AND ALSO THIS TIME OF NIGHT.

THIS IS ABOUT THE TIME OF NIGHT
THAT THE BOAT WENT DOWN

AND THOSE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
ENDED UP IN THIS WATER.

NOW IT'S JUST ABOUT
KEEPING ALERT...

...AND FEELING FOR
A MOVEMENT ON MY LINE.

THE MOVEMENT, WHEN IT COMES,
ALMOST PULLS ME IN.

**

THAT'S QUITE A RAPID TAIL
ON THAT.

YEAH, THIS FEELS QUITE HEAVY.
IT'S...INTERESTING.

IT'S ACTUALLY COMING UP
QUITE QUICKLY.

SO...

HERE WE GO.

WOW.

THIS IS A HORSE-EYE JACK.

TOOK DOWN THERE AT
ABOUT 300 FOOT OF WATER.

THESE ARE SOMETIMES KNOWN
AS BIG-EYE JACKS.

THEY SEE WELL IN THE DARK
AND AT DEPTHS.

THEY PROBABLY SHARE
NIGHTTIME TERRITORY

WITH THE COOKIECUTTER,

BUT THERE ARE NO BITE MARKS
TO SUGGEST

THAT THIS ONE
HAS HAD AN ENCOUNTER.

OKAY, GONNA PUT THIS BACK.

I LOAD THE HOOK AGAIN.

**

AND IT'S NOT LONG BEFORE
SOMETHING ELSE TAKES THE BAIT.

AFTER ITS INITIAL PULL,

IT SUDDENLY DEVELOPS AN
EXTRAORDINARY BURST OF POWER.

IT'S GOING.

RIGHT.

OH, IT'S JUST GOING.

IT'S JUST GOING.
IT'S JUST GOING.

IT'S GOING, IT'S GOING.

IT'S GOING.

IT TAKES EVERYTHING I'VE GOT
TO STOP IT.

**

THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT TOOK IT
RIGHT ON THE BOTTOM.

**

HERE WE GO, HERE IT IS,
HERE IT IS.

WHAT'S THAT?

I'M FISHING IN
THE ATLANTIC OCEAN

IN THE SAME WATERS WHERE
THE RMS LACONIA WENT DOWN.

HERE WE GO, HERE IT IS,
HERE IT IS.

I'VE JUST BROUGHT UP A HEFTY
AMBERJACK FROM THE DEEP.

BUT I'M NOT THE ONLY HUNTER
OUT TONIGHT.

HALF AN AMBERJACK.

SHARK'S BIT IT ALREADY.

WHEN I HOOKED IT,
IT RAN OFF, STOPPED,

AND THEN IT WENT A SECOND TIME.

AND ACTUALLY,
NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT,

THAT SECOND TIME
WAS MORE POWERFUL.

AND WHAT THAT WAS, WAS ACTUALLY
A SHARK HANGING ON TO THIS.

WELL, I THINK MOVING ON --
WHAT I GOT TO DO,

I GOT TO FISH HEAVIER LINE,
BIGGER REEL TO HOLD THAT LINE,

HEAVY WIRE ON THE END.

POSSIBLY A BIGGER BOAT.

SO I DIDN'T FIND ANY EVIDENCE
OF THE ELUSIVE COOKIECUTTERS.

BUT FROM WHAT THE FISHERMAN
SHOWED ME,

I KNOW THEY'RE IN THESE WATERS.

THE QUESTION FACING ME NOW IS,

WHAT'S DOWN THERE THAT CAN BITE
A 25-POUND FISH CLEAN IN HALF?

PERHAPS NOW IS THE TIME
TO FIND OUT

WHAT BIGGER SHARKS
ARE HUNTING IN THESE WATERS.

AND THIS TIME,
I'M WELL-PREPARED.

JUST GETTING SOME CHUM CUT UP
TO GO IN THE WATER.

JUST SMALL BITS OF FISH,

WHICH WE'LL JUST KEEP TRICKLING
IN THERE AT INTERVALS.

THIS CREATES A CERTAIN AMOUNT
OF SCENT IN THE WATER.

THE OTHER THING IT DOES --
IT WILL BRING IN SMALL FISH,

AND THEN THE ACTIVITY OF THOSE
WILL BRING IN LARGER FISH.

SO WE'RE CREATING AN EVENT HERE.

WE'RE CREATING SOMETHING
TO MAKE THIS BIT OF OCEAN

STAND OUT FROM
ALL THE OTHER SPACE OUT THERE.

I KNOW THAT SHARKS HAVE
AN EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY

TO PICK UP SCENT.

BUT IN SUCH AN IMMENSITY
OF WATER,

CHUMMING ALMOST SEEMS FUTILE.

**

BUT I KEEP THE CHUM GOING IN,

WHICH KEEPS THE BAITFISH
FEEDING NEAR THE BOAT.

THEN I GET A FAINT MOVEMENT
ON THE LINE.

OH, THERE'S A KNOCK.
THERE'S A KNOCK.

WHATEVER HAS TAKEN THE BAIT
SPEEDS OFF.

WHAT ENSUES IS A BATTLE

THAT'S STILL IN PROGRESS
AN HOUR LATER.

**

I WINCH IT IN
TURN BY PAINFUL TURN.

SUDDEN SLACKENING THEN.

IT COULD BE THE FISH TRYING
TO ROLL UP THE LINE.

THING IS WHEN IT DOES THAT,

IS TO BASICALLY NOT GIVE IT
THAT SLACK THAT IT NEEDS.

TAKING LINE AGAIN.

WHICH WAY IS IT GOING?

I THINK IT'S STILL HERE.

YEAH, WE'RE CLOSE, WE'RE CLOSE.

THAT'S THE LEADER KNOT.

I CAN SEE THE FISH DOWN THERE.

**

THIS IS A TIGER SHARK.

WHOA, WATCH OUT.

OKAY.

IS IT UNDER THE BOAT?

THIS TIGER SHARK
IS NOT GIVING IN.

DEFINITELY NOT COMING QUIETLY,
THIS FISH.

IT THRASHES AND ROLLS
AS IT ATTEMPTS TO FREE ITSELF,

AND IT'S ALL I CAN DO
TO HOLD IT.

OH, SH...

IT'S GONE. IT'S GONE.

WE GOT THE WHOLE BAIT BACK.

BUT THE HOOK,

IT WAS JUST SOMEWHERE
INSIDE THE MOUTH,

AND IT HADN'T COMPLETELY
PENETRATED.

THE THING IS WHAT THEY DO IS
THEY ROLL UP THE LEADER,

SO YOU HAVEN'T GOT, VERY OFTEN,

THAT DIRECT PRESSURE
ON THE HOOK.

THE HOOK IS -- THE LINE
GOES AROUND THE BODY.

AND, I MEAN, YOU'D THINK,
LOOKING AT THE BEND IN THAT ROD

AND THE AMOUNT OF GENERAL STRAIN
ON EVERYTHING,

THAT THAT HOOK
WOULD'VE GONE IN.

BUT, NO, IT WAS...

IT STILL HAD A LOT OF ENERGY
WHEN IT CAME TO THE SURFACE,

AND BASICALLY IT JUST
MOVED AROUND ENOUGH

TO JUST WORK THAT HOOK FREE.

SO, YEAH, THERE'S MORE SHARKS
HERE THAN WE THOUGHT.

I'VE NOW ENCOUNTERED BIG SHARKS
ON TWO SUCCESSIVE NIGHTS.

THESE WATERS ARE CLEARLY

TEEMING WITH ACTIVE
HUNTING PREDATORS.

ALTHOUGH LAST NIGHT'S CATCH
GOT AWAY,

I'VE ENCOUNTERED THE TIGER
SHARK'S FEROCITY BEFORE.

THIS IS A TIGER SHARK,
AND THIS IS A BIG ONE.

I HAVE LITTLE DOUBT
THAT THE LACONIA VICTIMS

WOULD'VE HAD TO CONTEND WITH
THIS POWERFUL PREDATOR.

BUT TIGER SHARKS
IN THE OPEN OCEAN

USUALLY HUNT ALONE,

SO THEY ARE UNLIKELY
TO HAVE GATHERED

IN SUFFICIENT NUMBERS
TO BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE.

SO, WHAT ELSE WAS THERE?

FOR A COMPLETE PICTURE,
I NEED TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT SHARKS WERE ROAMING
THESE WATERS IN 1942.

SEARCHING
THE HISTORICAL RECORDS

THROWS UP USEFUL INFORMATION

THAT MIGHT HELP
TO GIVE ME THE ANSWER.

IN 1942, THE LACONIA WAS
FAR FROM AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.

THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC
WAS REACHING ITS PEAK.

IN THAT YEAR ALONE,
OVER 1,600 VESSELS WERE SUNK,

RESULTING IN THE LOSS
OF THOUSANDS OF LIVES.

GOING THROUGH THE REPORTS
OF THESE DISASTERS,

I START TO SEE
A PATTERN EMERGING.

ACCOUNT AFTER ACCOUNT DESCRIBES
THE SAME SHARK SPECIES

ATTACKING THE PEOPLE
IN THE WATER --

A SHARK I HAVE
LITTLE EXPERIENCE WITH...

THE OCEANIC WHITETIP.

BUT THIS SHARK,
WHICH PATROLLED THE ATLANTIC

IN LARGE NUMBERS IN 1942,
IS NOW ON THE ENDANGERED LIST

AND CAN ONLY BE FOUND
IN A HANDFUL OF MARINE RESERVES

DOTTED AROUND THE WORLD.

THE REASON
FOR THIS SHARK'S RAPID DECLINE

IS SIMPLE.

BASICALLY, NOT LONG
AFTER THE END OF THE WAR,

FROM ABOUT THE 1950s OR SO,

COMMERCIAL FISHING
ON AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE

STARTED IN THE OPEN OCEANS.

AND SHARKS
ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE,

AND IT TURNS OUT
OCEANIC WHITETIPS

ARE ONE OF
THE MOST VULNERABLE SPECIES.

AND IT'S VERY HARD
TO COME BY ANY DEFINITE NUMBERS,

BUT PEOPLE ARE SAYING THEY'VE
BEEN ALMOST WIPED OUT WORLDWIDE.

SO THE FACT
THAT THEY'RE NOT HERE NOW

DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN
THAT THEY WEREN'T HERE IN 1942.

BUT IF I'M TO STUDY
THESE NOW-ENDANGERED CREATURES,

IT'S CLEAR I'M GONNA
HAVE TO SPREAD MY SEARCH

A LITTLE FURTHER.

[ BEEPING ]

**

THIS IS THE BAHAMAS,

AND THIS IS ONE
OF THE FEW PLACES LEFT ON EARTH

WHERE THERE IS STILL
A RELATIVELY HEALTHY POPULATION

OF OCEANIC WHITETIPS.

ALTHOUGH IT'S CLEAR
THAT SHARKS ARE A BIG PART

OF THIS INVESTIGATION

AND I THINK THERE'S
ENOUGH HISTORIC EVIDENCE

TO PLACE OCEANIC WHITETIPS
IN THE DOCK,

THERE'S STILL ONE QUESTION
ABOUT THEIR INVOLVEMENT

THAT NEEDS ANSWERING.

ACCORDING TO THE LACONIA
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS,

SHARKS DIDN'T SHOW UP UNTIL
MANY HOURS AFTER THE SINKING.

THE QUESTION I WANT TO ANSWER
IS WHY.

THE LACONIA SANK
IN A HUGE EXPANSE OF OPEN OCEAN

WHERE THERE WOULD
UNDOUBTEDLY HAVE BEEN

LONE, HUNTING
OCEANIC WHITETIPS.

BUT THE CHANCES
OF A LARGE NUMBER OF SHARKS

BEING IN THE EXACT LOCATION
WHERE THE LACONIA SANK

AT THAT EXACT TIME
ARE SLIM.

SO WHAT WAS IT THAT
CALLED IN THESE LONE SHARKS

IN THE VASTNESS
OF THE MID-ATLANTIC?

I THINK THERE'S A CLUE
IN THE EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS.

TAKE THIS FROM SQUADRON LEADER
L J PETERS,

WHO, ALONG WITH HUNDREDS
OF OTHERS,

WAS FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE
IN THE WATER THAT NIGHT.

HE'D SWUM SOME DISTANCE AWAY
FROM THE STRICKEN VESSEL.

BY THE TIME HE STOPPED
AND LOOKED BACK,

THE LACONIA WAS ALMOST GONE,

AND HE FOUND HIMSELF
SURROUNDED BY DEBRIS

AND BURNING OIL ON THE SURFACE.

THEN, BENEATH HIM,
HE GOES ON TO WRITE,

HE HEARD
TWO HUGE, BOOMING EXPLOSIONS.

[ BOOMING ]

NOW, THIS BOOMING SOUND
IS WHEN THE BOILERS,

WHICH ARE UNDER,
YOU KNOW, INTENSE PRESSURE,

SUPER-HEATED METAL --

AS SOON AS THAT HITS THE WATER,

YOU GET A CRACK,
AND THE WHOLE THING JUST GOES.

AND THIS SOUND WOULD'VE CARRIED
OVER AN ENORMOUS DISTANCE,

MUCH FURTHER THAN THE SOUND

OF ANYBODY
SPLASHING IN THE WATER,

ANY SHOUTS,
THIS KIND OF THING.

AND I'M JUST WONDERING
IF THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN

WHAT CALLED SHARKS IN,
POSSIBLY FROM, YOU KNOW,

A VERY BIG AREA OF OCEAN.

NOW, I DON'T HAVE
THE WHEREWITHAL

TO DUPLICATE THAT SCENARIO --

TO CREATE
A HUGE EXPLOSION UNDERWATER.

BUT MAYBE THERE IS A WAY
THAT I CAN INVESTIGATE

THE EFFECT THAT SOUND HAS
ON SHARKS,

AND MAYBE THIS IS GONNA HELP ME.

THIS IS
A WATERPROOF UNDERWATER SPEAKER,

AND IF THE WEATHER'S OKAY
TOMORROW,

IF I CAN GET OUT ON THE WATER,

THIS MIGHT JUST GIVE ME
SOME ANSWERS.

I WANT TO INVESTIGATE

WHETHER THE SOUND
OF THE LACONIA'S BOILERS

EXPLODING UNDERWATER

COULD HAVE BROUGHT IN SHARKS
FROM A DISTANCE.

MY PLAN IS TO DO THIS
USING AN UNDERWATER SPEAKER.

ONCE WE'RE FAR ENOUGH AWAY
FROM THE ISLAND REEF,

WE'LL STOP THE BOAT'S ENGINES

AND I'LL CONTINUE SILENTLY
BY KAYAK.

**

I'VE HEARD THAT THERE HAVE BEEN
WHITETIPS SPOTTED IN THIS AREA.

AND WHAT I WANT TO DO --
I WANT TO, UM...

JUST PUT SOME PURE SOUND
IN THE WATER.

I DON'T WANT ANY SCENT,

I DON'T WANT
ANY VISUAL STIMULUS,

JUST SOUND, AND SEE IF ANYTHING
ACTUALLY RESPONDS TO THAT.

I'VE GOT ALL THE EQUIPMENT
ON BOARD,

AND I'LL JUST LEAVE
THE MAIN BOAT

A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BEHIND.

THEN I'LL GET THE SPEAKER
IN THE WATER.

**

AS THE NAMES SUGGESTS,

OCEANIC WHITETIPS ARE
TRUE OPEN-OCEAN PREDATORS.

THEY ARE ABLE
TO TRAVEL HUGE DISTANCES

BETWEEN FEEDING
WHEN PREY IS SCARCE.

IN THE VAST EXPANSES
OF WATER THEY TRAVEL THROUGH,

THEY ARE CONSTANTLY
ON THE ALERT

FOR ANY UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE.

I'M GOING TO TEST
WHETHER SOUND IN THE WATER

CAN BRING SHARKS IN
TO INVESTIGATE THE SOURCE.

I'M PUTTING A LOW-FREQUENCY
TONE THROUGH THE SPEAKER.

A SHARK'S HEARING IS ADAPTED

TO VERY LOW-FREQUENCY
VIBRATIONS,

SUCH AS THOSE MADE
BY STRUGGLING PREY.

THE SOUND FROM THIS SPEAKER
HAS AN UNDERWATER RANGE

OF AROUND 800 FEET.

SPREADING OUT
IN THREE DIMENSIONS,

THAT EQUATES TO OVER
80-MILLION CUBIC FEET OF WATER.

NOW ALL I HAVE TO DO IS WAIT.

**

FIN JUST BROKE THE SURFACE
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT HERE,

RIGHT HERE!

**

I'M INVESTIGATING WHAT HAPPENED
TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE

WHO ENDED UP IN THE WATER
AFTER THEIR SHIP SANK

IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE ATLANTIC IN 1942.

I WANT TO FIND OUT
WHETHER SHARKS

COULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT
TO THE SCENE

BY THE SOUND
OF THE SHIP'S BOILERS

EXPLODING UNDERWATER.

FIN JUST BROKE THE SURFACE
RIGHT THERE.

TO TEST THIS THEORY,
I'M NOT USING BAIT OR BLOOD

TO ATTRACT SHARKS,
JUST SOUND.

THERE'S ONE RIGHT HERE
HEADING THIS WAY,

I'M GUESSING
ABOUT SIX FOOT UNDER THE WATER.

IT'S A LONE OCEANIC WHITETIP.

AND IT'S COMING IN.

AND IT'S JUST FEET AWAY
FROM THE SPEAKER.

IT'S ACTUALLY JUST WITHIN
THREE FEET OF THE SPEAKER.

BUT ONE LONE SHARK
DOESN'T PROVE MY THEORY.

ONE HERE.

FIN OUT OF THE WATER.

RIGHT, THERE WAS JUST ONE.

I THINK, YEAH,
THERE'S AT LEAST TWO NOW.

AH, RIGHT BY THE SPEAKER,
JUST TWO, THREE FEET AWAY.

I THINK IF I WAS ACTUALLY
IN THE WATER,

THAT WOULD BE VERY OMINOUS
TO SEE THAT.

I MEAN, I'M SAFELY,
OR RELATIVELY SAFELY,

CLEAR OF THE WATER
AT THE MOMENT.

BUT, UM...

THESE SHARKS
ARE DEFINITELY INTERESTED.

THEY'VE COME IN FROM --
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY WERE,

BUT THEY'VE COME IN
TO CHECK OUT THE SITUATION.

AND THE SHARKS AREN'T LEAVING.

THEY'RE STICKING
CLOSE TO THE SPEAKER.

**

THE SHARKS ARE CIRCLING.

THEY'RE JUST HEARING THE SOUND,

AND THEY ARE --
THEY'RE CIRCLING ME.

**

I'M ENCOURAGED THIS EXPERIMENT
APPEARS TO BE WORKING,

BUT I'M NOW SURROUNDED
BY SHARKS

LONGER THAN MY TINY KAYAK.

I'M A LITTLE WORRIED
THEY'RE BECOMING

TOO INTERESTED IN ME.

RIGHT HERE, FIN ON THE SURFACE
GOING DOWN.

I GET THE FEELING
THAT I'M BEING FOLLOWED.

I THINK ONE OF
THE CREEPIEST THINGS

IS ACTUALLY THE FACT
THAT WHEN YOU'RE DIVING,

YOU'VE GOT A MASK.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE CLEARLY.

WHEN YOU'RE ABOVE THE SURFACE,
THE SURFACE IS BROKEN LIKE THIS,

YOU JUST SEE
THAT VERY GHOSTLY, GRAY SHAPE.

OH, HERE'S ONE RIGHT HERE,
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT HERE!

AND IT'S COMING BACK.

I'VE DRAWN IN
OCEANIC WHITETIP SHARKS

FROM A DISTANCE.

BUT WITHOUT
AN OBVIOUS FOOD SOURCE,

THEY'VE STARTED TO TURN
THEIR ATTENTION TO THE KAYAK.

IT'S TIME
TO TURN THE SPEAKER OFF.

EVENTUALLY, THE SHARKS
LOSE INTEREST

IN BOTH THE SPEAKER
AND MY KAYAK.

WELL, I DEFINITELY
GOT THE IMPRESSION

THAT THE SHARKS
WERE INTERESTED IN THE SPEAKER.

FOR ME, THE EVIDENCE
SEEMS TO SUGGEST

THAT THE NIGHT
THE LACONIA WENT DOWN,

THE SOUND
OF THE BOILERS EXPLODING

BROUGHT THESE SHARKS IN
FROM A LARGE DISTANCE.

ONCE AT CLOSER RANGE,

THEY DETECTED THE MELEE
AT THE SURFACE.

BUT THIS CASE ISN'T SOLVED YET.

I'M UNCOVERING EVIDENCE
THAT SUGGESTS THAT,

AS WELL AS OCEANIC WHITETIPS,

A BIGGER
AND MORE ELUSIVE PREDATOR

CAME TO INVESTIGATE
THAT NIGHT.

THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE BEAST --

AN ABSOLUTE BEAST.

I'M INVESTIGATING
WHAT HAPPENED

TO THE PASSENGERS
OF THE RMS LACONIA,

TORPEDOED AT THE HEIGHT
OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR

IN THE MID-ATLANTIC.

MY INVESTIGATION
HAS SO FAR I.D.'d THREE HUNTERS

THAT COULD'VE BEEN PRESENT
IN NUMBERS

AT THE SCENE OF THE DISASTER...

THE SNOEK,

THE COOKIECUTTER SHARK,

AND THE OCEANIC WHITETIP.

BUT I'M UNCOVERING EVIDENCE
THAT A MUCH BIGGER PREDATOR

MAY HAVE BEEN THERE THAT NIGHT.

I'M BACK IN THE AREA
WHERE THE LACONIA SANK

BECAUSE THIS INVESTIGATION
HAS ONE LAST TWIST.

I'VE UNEARTHED
SOMETHING PUZZLING

BURIED IN
THE EYEWITNESS REPORTS

THAT DOESN'T SEEM
TO MATCH ANYTHING

I'VE HEARD OF BEFORE.

ONE MAN SAYS
THAT HE SAW SOMEBODY DRAGGED,

IN HIS WORDS,
"VERTICALLY DOWNWARDS."

[ GASPING ]

MOMENTS LATER, JUST HIS
EMPTY LIFE JACKET RE-EMERGED.

WHAT COULD'VE DONE THIS?

ACCOUNTS OF OCEANIC WHITETIP
ATTACKS ON PEOPLE

SEEM TO FOLLOW A PATTERN --

CAUTIOUS CIRCLING
FOLLOWED BY THE STRIKE.

AND THIS IS SIMILAR
TO SOME OTHER SHARK ATTACKS

I'VE INVESTIGATED.

BUT THIS DESCRIPTION
JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO FIT.

THE LACONIA SANK
IN 12,000 FEET OF WATER.

I'VE LOOKED FAR AND WIDE
FOR SUSPECTS,

BUT SO FAR,
I HAVEN'T LOOKED DOWN.

A MEMORY SURFACES.

I'VE SEEN PHOTOGRAPHS
OF MONSTER SHARKS

SNAGGED IN THE NETS OF
ATLANTIC DEEP-SEA TRAWLERS --

HUGE, BIZARRE CREATURES
THAT BELONG TO ANOTHER WORLD.

ARE THESE THE CREATURES
I'M NOW LOOKING FOR?

WERE THE VICTIMS
OF THE LACONIA

DRAGGED DOWN
BY A LEVIATHAN OF THE DEEP?

MY PLAN IS TO HEAD OUT
TO DEEP OCEAN

OFF THE COAST
OF ASCENSION ISLAND,

AS CLOSE AS I CAN
TO WHERE THE LACONIA SANK,

AND FISH AS DEEP AS MY LINE
WILL ALLOW

TO SEE WHAT WILL TAKE MY BAIT.

THIS WILL BE
A JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'LL PULL UP
FROM BELOW.

WE KNOW MORE ABOUT
THE SURFACE OF MARS

THAN WE DO
ABOUT THE DEEP OCEAN.

A FISHING EXPEDITION
OF THIS NATURE

IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL,

AND WHATEVER I PULL UP COULD BE
OF HUGE SCIENTIFIC INTEREST.

SO I'VE INVITED
SHARK SPECIALIST

DR. TRISTAN GUTTRIDGE
TO JOIN ME ON THE BOAT.

WHATEVER I CATCH,
HE WILL DOCUMENT AND TAG

TO RECORD ITS MOVEMENTS.

HE TALKS ME THROUGH THE SYSTEM
HE'S DEVISED.

Guttridge: SO, WE'VE GOT
TWO COMPONENTS --

THE TRANSMITTER
TO BASICALLY RELOCATE THE TAG

AND THEN THE LOGGER
THAT TAKES THE INFORMATION --

THE ENVIRONMENTAL
INFORMATION,

THE DEPTH AND THE TEMPERATURE
THAT THE SHARK IS AT.

FISHING THE DEPTHS
OF THE ATLANTIC WON'T BE EASY.

AND CATCHING A REAL-LIFE
SEA MONSTER TAKES BIG GEAR.

BIG CIRCLE HOOK
ON THE END

ATTACHED TO ABOUT 30 FOOT
OF NYLON-COATED STEEL WIRE.

AND THEN THE ACTUAL LINE
IS 130 POUNDS.

AND ON FULL DRAG...

[ GRUNTS ]

SO IT'S PRETTY WELL
LOCKED UP.

SO ALL WE GOT TO DO NOW --
GET THE BAIT ON,

BIG LUMP OF ROCK ON THAT,
SEND IT DOWN TO THE BOTTOM,

AND I'M HOPING FAIRLY SOON,

WE WILL FIND OUT
WHAT'S DOWN THERE.

ALL AROUND ME,
THE PITCH-BLACK

OF THE MID-ATLANTIC
ADDS TO MY SENSE OF UNEASE.

I'VE NO WAY
OF GAUGING THE HORIZON.

AND I HAVE THE UNNERVING SENSE
THAT WE'RE FLOATING IN SPACE.

**

OUT OF THE DARKNESS,

SOMETHING FLIES
ONTO THE DECK OF THE BOAT.

LOOK AT THIS.

THIS JUST FLEW INTO THE BOAT.

IT'S A FLYING FISH.

LOOK, AMAZING.

FLYING FISH HAVE EVOLVED
THEIR REMARKABLE ABILITY

TO EVADE PREDATORS.

IT'S ACHIEVED BY
GAINING HUGE SPEED UNDERWATER

BEFORE THEY PROPEL THEMSELVES
INTO THE AIR.

NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE.

**

WE RIG UNDERWATER CAMERAS
TO RECORD ANYTHING

ON ITS WAY UP TO THE BOAT.

THE BAIT IS DOWN ON THE BOTTOM,

AND YET,

ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS DOWN THERE
WILL BE TRANSMITTED UP.

THE ROD TOP WILL MOVE,

AND I COULD ALSO FEEL IT
THROUGH MY FINGERTIPS.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE BEING A SPIDER
IN THE MIDDLE OF A WEB.

SO NOW I'M JUST WAITING
FOR A KNOCK ON THE LINE.

IN PREPARATION
FOR SOMETHING HUGE,

I PUT ON A FISHING HARNESS.

BUT IF I'M HONEST,
I DON'T REALLY KNOW

WHAT MONSTERS WILL BE LURKING
AT THESE DEPTHS.

WELL, THERE'S A KNOCK.
THERE'S A KNOCK.

THEN I FEEL THE GENTLEST
OF KNOCKS ON THE LINE

BEFORE THE REEL ON FULL DRAG
SCREAMS OFF.

IT'S GOING UP TO SPEED.

THAT IS GOING VERY FAST.

WHATEVER HAS TAKEN THE BAIT
DOWN ON THE BOTTOM

HAS REALLY TAKEN OFF.

OOH, HERE WE GO.

GOT SOMETHING LIKE A TAIL
BANGING THE LINE.

IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE ANYTHING
I'VE EVER HOOKED BEFORE.

MYSTERY BEAST

THAT'S BEEN REALLY STEAMING OFF,

TAKING LINE.

THAT'S A VERY STRONG FISH.

I MEAN, THAT IS
A VERY STRONG ANIMAL --

VERY STRONG ANIMAL.

IT FEELS LIKE A MASSIVE --

I WAS GONNA SAY DEADWEIGHT.

IT'S NOT -- IT'S NOT DEAD.

IT'S DEFINITELY ALIVE.

BUT IT'S A WEIGHT.

I'M BREAKING QUITE A SWEAT HERE.

**

NOT REALLY GAINING ANYTHING
AT THE MOMENT.

OOH, THERE WE GO.
SO A LITTLE BIT OF GAIN THERE.

WHATEVER I'VE HOOKED
IS TRULY ENORMOUS,

AND IT HAS NO INTENTION

OF COMING ANYWHERE NEAR
THE BOAT.

AFTER NEARLY AN HOUR
OF STRUGGLE,

I MIGHT FINALLY SEE
MY OPPONENT.

WHATEVER IT IS
IS NOW CLOSE TO THE SURFACE.

I CAN SEE SOMETHING DOWN THERE.

VERY INTERESTING OUTLINE.

BUT NOTHING PREPARES ME
FOR WHAT IS REVEALED

ON THE END OF MY LINE.

WHAT IS THAT?

I'M IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN

FISHING FOR A MONSTER
THAT COULD BE THE MISSING LINK

IN A SECOND WORLD WAR
MARINE DISASTER.

I'M FISHING IN VERY DEEP WATER,

AND SOMETHING HUGE
HAS TAKEN MY BAIT.

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER,
THIS IS SORT OF END GAME.

BUT NOTHING PREPARES ME

FOR WHAT IS
ON THE END OF MY LINE.

THERE'S THE FISH --
THERE IT IS.

WHAT I'VE RAISED FROM THE DEEP
TWISTS AND TURNS ON THE LINE.

IT'S LIKE NOTHING
I'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE.

WHAT IS THAT?

IT'S EASILY LONGER
THAN THE WIDTH OF OUR BOAT.

I ESTIMATE
AROUND 12 TO 14 FEET LONG.

THAT'S A BIG OL' FISH,
WELL-HOOKED.

Guttridge: WHOO!

ALL RIGHT.

SHARK SCIENTIST TRISTAN
IDENTIFIES IT

AS A SIXGILL SHARK --

A PRIMITIVE CREATURE
THAT INHABITS THE DEEP OCEAN.

HERE WE GO, HERE WE GO,
HERE WE GO.

THIS ANIMAL HAS
MORE FOSSIL RELATIVES

THAN LIVING ONES.

**

AH, THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE BEAST --
AN ABSOLUTE BEAST.

IT'S AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY
FOR TRISTAN.

A DEEP SEA GIANT LIKE THIS HAS
NEVER BEEN TAGGED HERE BEFORE,

AND THE INFORMATION
WE MIGHT GAIN

COULD BE VITAL
TO MY INVESTIGATION.

BUT WE ONLY HAVE A SHORT TIME
TO GET A TAG IN.

-PERFECT.
-QUICK, QUICK!

Guttridge: YES.
Wade: ARE WE THERE?

FANTASTIC.

TRISTAN HAS TO ROPE THE TAIL

TO GET SOME DEGREE OF CONTROL.

THEN HE CAN INSERT THE TAG
INTO ITS DORSAL FIN.

DO YOU WANT THIS?
YEAH, THAT'S IT.

SO THIS IS 48 HOURS,
THEN IT'LL POP OFF.

IS THAT IT?
YEAH, THIS IS 48 HOURS.

AND THIS WILL LOG TEMPERATURE,
DEPTH, AND LIGHT,

AND THEN POP OFF.

THAT'S IN?

YEAH.
FANTASTIC.

RIGHT, WE'VE GOT THE TAG IN,

AND I THINK WE'VE HAD AS GOOD
A LOOK AS WE'RE GONNA GET.

ALL RIGHT,
GET THE TAIL ROPE OFF.

WE'RE NOW
RELEASING THE FISH.

THERE YOU GO, GIRL.

MASSIVE, MASSIVE FISH,
AND A CREATURE OF THE ABYSS.

WITH THE SHARK RELEASED,

IT BEGINS ITS LONG JOURNEY
BACK TO THE DEPTHS,

TAKING WITH IT THE TAG
THAT WE HOPE WILL GIVE US

A UNIQUE INSIGHT
INTO ITS MOVEMENTS.

IS THIS THE FIRST TIME
TAGS OF THAT KIND

HAVE BEEN USED HERE,
AS FAR AS YOU KNOW?

FIRST TIME ANYONE'S EVER
PUT A SATELLITE TAG ON A SIXGILL

IN ASCENSION ISLAND.

SO IT WILL BE VERY EXCITING
TO SEE WHAT THIS ANIMAL DOES.

WE HAVE A RELIABLE ESTIMATE
OF WELL OVER THOUSAND POUNDS,

YOU KNOW,
SOMETHING LIKE 1,100 POUNDS.

THAT IS ACTUALLY THE BIGGEST
FISH THAT I'VE EVER CAUGHT.

SO A VERY SPECIAL PLACE,
VERY SPECIAL CATCH.

BUT THRILLING
AS THIS CATCH WAS,

I STILL CAN'T PLACE
THESE LEVIATHANS AT THE SCENE

OF THE LACONIA'S SINKING.

THESE ARE CREATURES
OF THE DEEP.

WHAT WOULD THEY HAVE BEEN DOING
NEAR THE SURFACE?

LATER, AFTER TRISTAN
HAS RETRIEVED THE DATA

FROM THE TAG...

[ TELEPHONE RINGS ]

...HE CALLS ME
WITH WHAT MIGHT BE

THE GLIMMER OF AN ANSWER.

HELLO, TRISTAN.

HELLO!

SO YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING
FROM THE TAG?

IT POPPED UP?

YEAH, SO WHAT'S
PRETTY EXCITING

IS WE NOW KNOW KIND OF
WHAT THE SIXGILL WAS DOING

ACROSS THAT PERIOD.

AND WHAT'S COOL
IS THAT THEY MAKE THIS

WHAT'S CALLED
A DIEL VERTICAL MIGRATION.

SO THEY TRAVEL DOWN
TO THE DEPTHS DURING THE DAY

AND UP IN THE WATER COLUMN
DURING THE NIGHT.

IT SEEMS TO BE THE LIGHT,
SO WHEN IT HITS DUSK AND DAWN,

THAT'S WHEN THEY MAKE
THESE MIGRATIONS UP AND DOWN.

AND THEY'RE ALL PROBABLY
JUST TRACKING PREY --

SQUID AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT HORIZONTALLY,
WE SAW NO MOVEMENT WHATSOEVER.

SO THEY'RE MOVING A LOT,

BUT IT'S MOVING PURELY
IN THE UP AND DOWN DIRECTION.

THE WATER COLUMN.
YEAH.

WHAT MIGHT BE
THE POINT OF COMING UP?

ARE YOU THINKING
THAT THEY ARE DOING THE FEEDING

WHEN THEY COME UP SHALLOW?

YEAH.
THEY PROBABLY SCAVENGE

FROM CARCASSES
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I MEAN, WHO'D HAVE THOUGHT
THAT LITTLE THING

THAT WE ATTACHED
TO THAT FISH,

THAT IT CAN GIVE
THIS INFORMATION.

IT'S JUST SUCH AN INSIGHT,
ISN'T IT,

TO WHAT'S GOING ON
DOWN THERE?

YEAH, EXACTLY.

ALL RIGHT, BYE-BYE.

TAKE CARE.
CHEERS, ADIEU, BYE-BYE.

[ Laughing ] BYE.
RIGHT.

ALTHOUGH THERE ARE MANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT SIXGILL SHARKS

STILL TO BE ANSWERED,

THIS EXPERIMENT
DEMONSTRATES VERY, VERY CLEARLY

THIS UP AND DOWN MIGRATION
THAT SYNCHRONIZES ABSOLUTELY

WITH THE PASSAGE
OF NIGHT AND DAY.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOWN DEEP
DURING THE DAY,

THEN THEY RISE UP AT NIGHT.

AND GIVEN THE FACT
THAT THE LACONIA WENT DOWN

DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS,

THIS COULD BE VERY SIGNIFICANT.

THE ONLY THING IS, DESPITE
ALL THIS AMAZING TECHNOLOGY

WE'VE BEEN USING, THE ONE THING
THAT IT CAN'T TELL US

IS WHETHER SIXGILL SHARKS
WOULD ACTUALLY FEED ON HUMANS.

**

I HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO USE MYSELF
AS HUMAN BAIT.

THIS TIME, I THINK I'LL PASS.

BUT I THINK I FOUND A WAY
TO DO THE NEXT BEST THING.

**

I HAVEN'T COME HERE
TO TOP OFF MY TAN.

THE REASON I'M
HERE IN HONDURAS

IS BECAUSE THERE'S A GUY
LIVING HERE

WHO HAS BUILT
THIS EXTRAORDINARY VEHICLE

THAT IS ABLE TO PENETRATE
RIGHT DOWN

TO THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN --
THE SO-CALLED BATHYPELAGIC ZONE.

THIS IS WHERE NO LIGHT
EVER REACHES.

THANK YOU.

I'VE ARRANGED TO MEET
KARL STANLEY,

OWNER, BUILDER,
AND CAPTAIN OF THE IDABEL --

A TWO-MAN SUBMARINE
CAPABLE OF DESCENDING

TO OVER 2,500 FEET.

WE'RE GOING TO ATTACH
A DEAD PIG

TO THE FRONT OF THE SUB
AS BAIT.

AS I LEARNED
FROM A FORMER CANNIBAL TRIBE

IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC,

PIG MEAT TASTES
A LOT LIKE HUMAN FLESH.

I WANT TO FIND OUT IF THIS
WILL BRING IN THE SIXGILLS.

THIS IS
A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT

TYPE OF BAITING-UP OPERATION
FOR ME.

I'M USED TO PUTTING THINGS
ON BIG HOOKS,

BUT I'VE NEVER ACTUALLY
STRAPPED A DEAD PIG

ON THE FRONT
OF A SUBMARINE BEFORE.

NORMALLY WHEN I'M FISHING,

I'M A LONG WAY AWAY
FROM THE BAIT

AND I JUST GET A TACTILE

OR MAYBE
AN AUDIBLE INDICATION

THAT SOMETHING'S DOWN THERE,
AND AT THAT POINT,

I GENERALLY DON'T KNOW
WHAT IT IS.

BUT I'M GONNA BE SITTING

LITERALLY
A FEW FEET AWAY FROM THIS.

SO IF SOMETHING COMES ALONG
AND SHOWS AN INTEREST IN THIS,

I'M GONNA HAVE A RINGSIDE SEAT.

I'M JUST A COUPLE OF FEET AWAY.

THIS IS
THE PRESSURE HULL.

AND THAT'S MADE OUT OF THREE
HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL SPHERES.

RIGHT, SO I TAKE IT
I'M IN THAT BIT THERE,

AND IS THAT
WHERE YOU'RE DRIVING IT FROM?

YES.

I'M NOT ASHAMED TO ADMIT
THAT MIXED WITH MY EXCITEMENT

IS MOUNTING APPREHENSION.

THAT'S --

THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING.

IT'S A WEE BIT CLAUSTROPHOBIC,

AND UNDER 2,000 FEET OF WATER,

IT'S GONNA BE
A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF THAT.

[ GRUNTS ]

THE CURVED WALLS
MAKE IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE

TO SIT UP STRAIGHT,

AND I COULD BE SPENDING
UP TO NINE HOURS

COOPED UP INSIDE HERE.

**

I'M POSITIONED UP FRONT
AT KARL'S FEET,

IN WHAT HE HAS DUBBED
THE "PASSENGER SPHERE,"

WHICH IS
A CRAMPED 54 INCHES WIDE.

THE PLAN IS
TO TRAVEL VERTICALLY DOWN

TO 2,000 FEET
OR MAYBE MORE,

THEN WAIT AND HOPE THAT THE
BAIT WILL ATTRACT THE SHARKS

ON THEIR NIGHTLY MIGRATION
UP FROM EVEN DEEPER.

WE'RE GOING DOWN
INTO THE CAYMAN TRENCH,

WHICH AT ITS DEEPEST
IS ABOUT 25,000 FEET.

WE'RE NOT GOING QUITE THAT DEEP,

BUT PROBABLY
A COUPLE OF THOUSAND.

AND I'VE BEEN TOLD
TO EXPECT

A VERTICAL JOURNEY
OF ABOUT 45 MINUTES.

**

AS WE DESCEND,
THE TEMPERATURE PLUMMETS

FROM 84 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT
TO A CHILLY 50.

WE'RE JUST COMING UP
TO 500 FEET.

AND AS WE'RE DESCENDING,

I SORT OF CAN'T HELP
THINKING ABOUT

WHEN THE LACONIA WENT DOWN,

THERE WERE PEOPLE
WHO JUMPED IN THE WATER,

BUT THERE WERE ALMOST DEFINITELY
GOING TO BE PEOPLE

TRAPPED INSIDE THE STRUCTURE,
AS WELL, AS IT SUNK.

AND THAT IS
DEFINITELY A ONE-WAY TRIP.

SORT OF DON'T WANT TO THINK
ABOUT THAT TOO MUCH.

THAT'S 1,000 FEET.

THE PRESSURE ON THE OUTSIDE
OF THE HULL INCREASES

AS THE WEIGHT
OF ALL THAT WATER ABOVE US

BEARS DOWN ON THE SUB.

AT THIS DEPTH,
THAT EQUATES

TO 430 POUNDS
ON EVERY SQUARE INCH.

WE'VE GOT LIGHTS ON THE SUB,

SO THE WATER HERE
IS ILLUMINATED.

LOOKING UP, I MEAN, THE SURFACE
IS LONG PAST BEING VISIBLE.

AND WHERE WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING,
IT'S --

WE'RE GOING TO THE EDGE
OF THE BATHYPELAGIC ZONE.

THIS IS WHERE,

EVEN DURING THE DAYTIME,

NO LIGHT REACHES DOWN HERE.

THE WATER BASICALLY
SWALLOWS UP THE LIGHT,

SO IT'S A VERY --

IT'S A VERY UNFAMILIAR
TYPE OF SPACE.

IT'S NOT LIKE
THE REST OF THE WORLD.

THAT DARK EMPTINESS OUT THERE

IS ACTUALLY WHAT
MOST OF THE EARTH IS LIKE.

WHAT WE SEE IS A TINY FRACTION
OF OUR PLANET.

WE CAUTIOUSLY APPROACH
THE SEAFLOOR.

IF WE WERE TO GET STUCK
ON ANYTHING,

THERE WOULD BE
NO HOPE OF RESCUE.

WE HAVE ENOUGH OXYGEN
FOR THREE DAYS,

BUT THERE'S NO COMMUNICATION
WITH THE SURFACE

AND NO VESSEL
WITHIN 1,000 MILES

CAPABLE OF DESCENDING
THIS DEEP.

AND IN THIS COMPLEX
UNDERWATER LANDSCAPE,

IT'S DOUBTFUL
ANYONE COULD FIND US ANYWAY.

I ALMOST FEEL LIKE AN ASTRONAUT,

JUST MINUTES AWAY
FROM LANDING ON THE MOON.

**

MY FIRST GLIMPSE
OF LIFE DOWN HERE

ARE SCULPTURED LOBSTER.

THIS REALLY DOES FEEL LIKE
THE SURFACE OF ANOTHER PLANET.

NO FOOTPRINTS --

THIS IS A PLACE
WHERE NO HUMAN BEING

HAS PROBABLY TOUCHED DOWN
BEFORE.

THE DEPTH GAUGE
NOW READS 2,000 FEET.

WE ARE PRECARIOUSLY POSITIONED
ON A TINY LEDGE.

TO MY RIGHT,
A SHEER CLIFF FACE DROPS AWAY

TOWARDS THE BOTTOM
OF THE TRENCH,

ANOTHER FIVE MILES DOWN.

THE PRESSURE
ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE HULL

NOW IS MORE THAN
900 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH.

A CRACK
WOULD MEAN INSTANT DEATH.

SO, WHITE LIGHT AT THE MOMENT,

AND WE'RE NOW GONNA SWITCH
TO RED LIGHT,

WHICH THE SHARKS
WON'T BE AWARE OF.

SO WE'RE ABOUT
TO GO INTO STEALTH MODE.

THIS MEANS THAT ALTHOUGH
WE CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON,

THE SHARK CAN'T SEE US.

**

SO WHAT WE DO NOW IS WE WAIT.

HAGFISH COMING
RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.

SO YOU'VE GOT A HAGFISH
THAT'S COMING HERE,

AND THAT'S STARTING TO FEED
QUITE ACTIVELY.

WHAT THAT'S DOING
IS THAT'S STIRRING UP

A CLOUD OF SCENT IN THE WATER.

THERE'S GIANT ISOPODS
SCUTTLING AROUND, AS WELL,

WHICH HAVE OBVIOUSLY GOT WIND
OF SOMETHING HAPPENING HERE.

SO THERE WILL BE
A CLOUD OF SCENT

SLOWLY SPREADING OUT
IN THE WATER.

AND WHAT WE'RE HOPING
IS THAT

THAT'S GOING TO CALL IN
THE SHARKS.

ISOPODS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED
GOING FIVE YEARS BETWEEN MEALS.

AND IN THIS ENVIRONMENT,
THEY LIVE IN A PERPETUAL STATE

OF SEMI-HIBERNATION.

THEY TYPICALLY SCAVENGE
WHATEVER FOOD DRIFTS DOWN

FROM THE SURFACE.

**

SHARK. SHARK, SHARK, SHARK.
WE'VE GOT A SHARK.

**

I'M 2,000 FEET DOWN
IN THE CAYMAN TRENCH,

TRYING TO LURE IN
A LEVIATHAN OF THE DEEP --

THE SIXGILL SHARK.

I WANT TO FIND OUT
IF THIS CREATURE

COULD'VE BEEN INVOLVED
IN THE AFTERMATH

OF THE WARTIME SINKING
OF THE RMS LACONIA.

Wade:
SHARK. SHARK, SHARK, SHARK.
WE'VE GOT A SHARK.

AND THE SCENT FROM MY BAIT,

A DEAD PIG STRAPPED
TO THE FRONT OF MY SUBMARINE,

HAS JUST BROUGHT ONE IN.

VERY FAINT, ALMOST GHOSTLIKE,

JUST DRIFTING LEFT TO RIGHT,

JUST ON THE EDGE OF VISIBILITY.

BUT I'M GUESSING THAT WASN'T

JUST A SORT OF
COINCIDENTAL DRIFT BY.

I THINK IT'S PROBABLY
PICKING UP THE SCENT.

IT'S TURNING 'ROUND.
IT'S TURNING 'ROUND.

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR,
FIVE, SIX -- SIXGILL SHARK.

WOW.

THAT'S A BIG ANIMAL.

BIG, BIG, BIG, BIG ANIMAL.

I HAVE TO REMIND MYSELF
THAT ALTHOUGH I CAN SEE IT,

THE SHARK CAN'T REGISTER
RED LIGHT,

SO IT CANNOT SEE ME
OR THE BAIT.

OH, HERE IT COMES,
RIGHT OVER MY HEAD.

AND SINCE WE'RE NOT
MAKING ANY SOUND,

IT HAS FOUND US
USING ITS SENSE OF SCENT.

IT'S NOW COMING TOWARDS US,

AND IT SEEMS TO BE
VERY SLOWLY ZEROING IN.

IS IT GONNA FEED?

IS IT GONNA FEED?

WHERE'S IT GONE NOW?

THERE IT IS.

IT'S COMING 'ROUND AGAIN.

IT'S COMING INTO THE BAIT.

IT'S COMING IN.
THIS LOOKS QUITE PURPOSEFUL.

**

LOOK AT THAT!

WOW.

**

THAT IS A FEEDING SHARK.

THAT'S WHAT
A FEEDING SHARK LOOKS LIKE.

**

IT'S MOVING THE WHOLE SUB.

IT IS ACTUALLY
MOVING THE WHOLE SUB.

**

THAT SHARK IS BIGGER
THAN THE WHOLE SUB,

IN TERMS OF LENGTH.

AND I'M LITERALLY INCHES AWAY --

INCHES AWAY.

**

WELL, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY
IT'S GOT THE TASTE FOR THE BAIT.

THAT'S AMAZING.

THAT'S AMAZING.

THE BAIT HAS BEEN OBLITERATED
BY THE SHARK'S SERRATED TEETH.

**

LIKE A GHOST,
IT VANISHES INTO THE DARKNESS.

**

EVERY TIME YOU PUT A BAIT
IN THE WATER,

YOU'RE ASKING A QUESTION.

AND IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE,

MY QUESTION WAS, "IS THERE LIFE
DOWN BELOW THE SURFACE LAYERS

THAT MIGHT COME UP?"
WELL, ABSOLUTELY, THERE IS,

AND SOME VERY LARGE
AND VERY IMPRESSIVE LIFE.

AND I HAVE TO SAY
THAT I'M EVEN LESS COMFORTABLE

ABOUT BEING DOWN HERE,
SO I THINK IT'S HIGH TIME NOW

TO GET BACK TO THE SURFACE.

**

SO WHAT DOES THIS TELL ME
ABOUT THE VICTIMS

OF THE LACONIA DISASTER?

COULD THE SIXGILL
HAVE BEEN INVOLVED?

WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT
THESE RARELY OBSERVED GIANTS

INHABIT THE SAME WATERS
WHERE THE LACONIA SANK.

THEY RISE TOWARDS THE SURFACE
AT NIGHT,

THE TIME WHEN
MANY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE

WERE FLAILING IN THE WATER.

AND FROM WHAT
I'VE JUST WITNESSED,

THEY TEAR INTO FLESH
WITH GUSTO.

THE SINKING OF THE LACONIA
SENT 2,500 PEOPLE

INTO THE VAST ATLANTIC,

AND THIS HORRIFYING EVENT

MUST HAVE ATTRACTED
A MULTITUDE OF PREDATORS.

A MARAUDING SCHOOL
OF FANGED SNOEK

WHICH RIPPED THROUGH
IN A FIRST WAVE.

THEN BLOODTHIRSTY,
PARASITIC COOKIECUTTER SHARKS

THAT CUT PRECISION BITES.

AND LATER, TIGER SHARKS
AND OCEANIC WHITETIPS,

DRAWN IN FIRST BY THE SOUND
OF THE SHIP'S EXPLODING BOILERS

AND THEN BY THE BLOOD
IN THE WATER.

AND MAYBE THEY WERE JOINED
BY THIS PREHISTORIC LEVIATHAN,

THE SIXGILL SHARK,
A TRUE SEA MONSTER

AS TERRIFYING AS ANYTHING

FROM THE DEPTHS
OF OUR IMAGINATION.

THE FULL STORY
WILL NEVER BE KNOWN,

BUT I NOW UNDERSTAND
IN A WAY THAT I DIDN'T BEFORE

WHY SO MANY
OF THE LACONIA'S PASSENGERS

NEVER MADE IT HOME.