Incredible video shows world's biggest shark prowling water directly below fishermen in rare close encounter

A SHOCKING video has captured a massive whale shark racing through US waters while an unsuspecting fisherman watched.

Cory Kauffman and his friend shouted and cheered after seeing the natural beauty right off the coast of Destin, Florida, on Sunday.

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The video given to AL.com captured one of the fishermen beckoning the massive shark to come over while they floated on top of the Atlantic.

"Come on," Kauffman shouted before the spotted beast zoomed closer with an open mouth that just barely broke the surface.

More clips show the whale shark relaxing and slowly going about his business while he stops for a break during his hunt for food.

The video was taken just about five miles south of Destin East Pass, which is right in the Gulf of Mexico.

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Kauffman said that he's seen a whale shark during a visit to the Galapagos Islands, but never so close to the US.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), whale sharks frequent the Gulf in the summer and fall to hunt for krill, fish eggs, and small fish.

The largest shark in existence, it's rare for them to be so close to the shore.

“Within the shelf region of the northern Gulf, they’re uncommon and five miles from shore is pretty close,” Graeber said.

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“As the largest fish species in the world, the fisherman had a pretty awesome encounter and maybe a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Whale sharks don't actually hunt prey, and get all their sustenance from filter feeding through a massive mouth.

Inside their large mouth, which can be up to five feet across, are over 300 rows of tiny teeth which can catch tiny prey.

Whale sharks can grow to lengths of over 40 feet and weigh over a ton, according to Florida wildlife officials.

They were also spotted in other parts of Florida last year.

Two boaters from Tampa Bay had a whale shark swim alongside them at the end of May while they were on the waters in Sarasota.

About a week before that, whale sharks were spotted in Madeira Beach.

"We seem to be finding whale sharks more frequently," Florida Aquarium associate curator and shark guide Eric Hovland told FOX13.

"Or, at least, we’re getting those encounters recorded more frequently because everybody’s got an iPhone or a GoPro and great ways to record."

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In related shark news, one diver was bit in the head by a shark while he was exploring the ocean floor.

And The U.S. Sun has tracked the number of shark attacks that have taken place so far this peak swimming season.