Visitors to Ripley’s Aquarium in Canada had an exceptionally unusual view when a naked man dove into the shark tank.
For reasons unknown, David Weaver of Nelson, B.C., stripped off his clothes and dove into the 2.9-million-liter shark tank from an observation platform Oct. 12.
Visitors in the lower section of the exhibit were shocked by the unexpected full view of Weaver as he performed a breast stroke around the tank.
After swimming for a few moments, he held onto a fake rock on the side of the exhibit as several sand tigers and sand bar sharks swam around.
Aquarium staff asked the 37-year-old to exit the water and he obliged. However, once he was out of the water, he attempted a back flip and splashed upon re-entering the exhibit while the crowd cheered.
A few seconds later, he left the water, jumped a security gate and walked around nude until someone handed him some of his clothes.
He left the aquarium at the request of the staff and police were notified of the incident.
Weaver was wanted by police for assault causing bodily harm during an altercation that occurred before the shark tank episode.
The victim suffered serious injury after being assaulted in front of the Medieval Times attraction which is about 3 miles away from the aquarium.
While Weaver’s life was not a risk, he could have caused serious injury to the green sea turtles, tropical fish and 17 sharks housed in the tank.
Staff and those who enter the water must go through a sanitation process before accessing the water to ensure they are not carrying bacteria that could be harmful to marine life.
“Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is cooperating with authorities and is willing to press all appropriate charges once the individual has been apprehended,” a spokesperson for the aquarium wrote in a press release.
According to a New York Post report, Weaver was arrested four days after his swim and is facing charges of assault, causing bodily harm and mischief interference with property.
There have been a few cases where aquarium workers have been bitten by sharks.
A diver was bitten on the finger by a sandbar shark at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Wash.
The volunteer was taken to the hospital in unknown condition May 14, 2017.
A 2012 video shows a serious bite by a sand tiger shark. Several divers working to administer drugs to a pregnant shark goes awry when the shark bites a diver on the left wrist.
The man was able to exit the water and was transported to the hospital.
