THIS is the horrifying moment a massive reef shark savages a diver’s hand as a pack of 20 beasts circle around them off the Florida coast.

An underwater photographer captured the tense moment his friend pulled his hand from the mouth of a seven foot Caribbean Reef shark.

Tanner Mansell, 29, from Florida, and his friend Chang Sien Chin, were swimming in Nassau, Bahamas when they came across the swarm of sharks.

Chang, originally from Australia, was wearing shark armour during the dive which prevented any damage from its savage teeth.

However, Tanner was completely unprotected while taking the photograph from just five feet away. 

“I was not wearing any chain mail. I was unprotected, however, this is what makes these moments fun for me.

"I am in the moment, among 20+ sharks swarming the bait box, waiting for something amazing to happen and in this case it was my friend Chang pulling his arm out of a sharks mouth,” Tanner said.

Instagram users were blown away by the photo of the terrifying moment that could have ended very differently.

One shocked user commented: “Insane.”

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“Wow, wow, wow, wow,” another added.

Someone else said: “Badass.”

Tanner said: “These moments make me feel alive, the adrenaline and intensity of the moment is not overwhelming but very much so impactful.

"However I am also in the moment and not thinking about everything else going on in the world. I love being with sharks. All your problems disappear and it’s just you, and them.”

Photography became a means for Tanner to turn exploring the ocean into a career. 

He began diving and spear fishing as a child but later became fixated on sharks and documenting his dives eventually became more than a hobby.

He added: “The first time I swam with sharks I had never felt so in the moment and at peace with the world and I realised I had to find a way to do it for the rest of my life.

"I picked up photography to document my journey and have since turned it into my career.”

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