Experienced scuba diver Tanveer Dhillon has recounted a heart-stopping moment when he came eye-to-eye with a massive great white shark during a solo dive off Ocean Reef in Perth’s northern suburbs, describing the predator as “grinning straight at me” in an ordeal that lasted an agonising 10 minutes.

The 39-year-old was exploring the waters on Sunday, December 21, when the unexpected encounter unfolded. “My first instinct was ‘why is my dive buddy kicking me?'” Dhillon told 7NEWS. “So I turned around and when I saw that it was not a person, it was a shark — it was sheer panic.”

The great white, estimated at several metres long, rammed him into a sandbank before circling relentlessly. Trapped in terror, Dhillon wedged himself into a rocky ledge to hide, praying silently as his oxygen tank depleted second by second. “My heart was in my mouth and that memory is forever etched in my mind,” he said. “I said a prayer: if I get out of this, I’m never putting myself in this position again because you’re helpless.”

Miraculously, the shark eventually swam away without attacking, allowing Dhillon to surface unharmed. He credits staying calm and avoiding sudden movements for his survival. “I didn’t make any erratic moves,” he explained, noting the predator’s curious but non-aggressive behaviour.

The incident, captured in part on video, has gone viral, highlighting the risks of diving in Western Australia’s shark-inhabited waters. Great whites are common off Perth’s coast, drawn by seals and fish, though fatal attacks remain rare.

Dhillon, an avid diver, admitted the scare hasn’t deterred him entirely but he’ll pause before returning to the water. “It was the most terrifying 10 minutes of my life,” he reflected.

Marine experts praise his composure, reminding divers to maintain eye contact, stay still, and back away slowly in encounters. As summer heats up, authorities urge caution in coastal areas.

Dhillon’s survival story serves as a stark reminder of nature’s power – and human vulnerability beneath the waves.