Video of boaters dragging shark sparks outrage, investigation

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The video shows a group of people driving a boat at a high rate of speed, dragging a shark behind them. At this point, the Florida Wildlife Comission says they’re trying to identify the people in the video and where exactly it took place. (Photo: Facebook/WTSP)

FORT MYERS, Fla. A viral video of a live shark being dragged behind a boat is creating outrage across the internet.

The video appears to show three young men laughing as they look back at the distressed shark violently flopping in and out of the water.

“Look he’s almost already dead,” one of the men could be heard saying in the video.

It is unclear where the video, which went into wide circulation Tuesday, was filmed.

The department is conducting an investigation to identify the men in the video, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Brian Norris said.

Norris also issued the following statement:

“The FWC has been alerted to a video circulating on multiple social media sites showing a group of individuals traveling at high speed on the water dragging a shark behind the vessel.

The FWC takes this very seriously and is currently investigating this incident. We are also attempting to identify the individuals in the video and where it took place.

It is too early to speculate as to what, if any, violations took place in this incident.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 1-888-404-3922 or email Tip@MyFWC.com.

WINK News shared the video on Facebook in an attempt to identify the men. WARNING: The contents of the video below may be disturbing:

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