Travel influencer Lilian Tagliari was swimming among a group of 50 nurse sharks in the Maldives when one suddenly took a bite out of her right leg.  

Blood was coming from her leg with teeth marks clearly visible on her calf and shin.

Lilian said she thought she was bitten because one of the sharks mistook her for a fish due to their ‘bad eyesight’. 

She said: ‘I would say [there was] probably around 50 sharks, and I’ve been swimming in this same spot for many years.

‘The boats do throw fish where they are, and because nurse sharks have very bad eye sight, that one just thought my leg was a piece of fish.

‘I did have to take antibiotics in case of any bacterial infection. I got a sore leg for a few days. 

‘We had with them for a good hour, then I decided to go back to our boat. Then the conditions got better and I thought “oh a few more dives won’t hurt”.

‘As I came back up this shark decided to take a nibble. I thought “just my luck” because it happens so rarely.’

The Maldives is known for its white sandy beaches, turquoise lagoons and coral reefs, but it is also home to around 30 types of shark, according to Samudra Maldives.