Snorkeler swims with 10m whale shark

A stunning video shows a snorkeler getting up close and personal with a huge whale shark.

Ocean photographer and Maldives local Ismail Saif filmed the video on one of his trips off the coast of Ari Atol.

The video shows Ana Cuadrado, 27, swimming side-by-side with the huge animal, estimated to be 10 metres long.

Ismail said: "We do trips to see the whale sharks and I spotted it through the lens of my drone swimming gently on the surface.

"The name of the whale shark is 'Fernando' and it’s not being tagged.

"There were a lot of people around the whale shark for a good hour and then they got tired.

"Ana and me were alone with it and this was when I had captured the video."

Ismail said that Ana and Fernando had no physical contact and were just cruising through the water.

The footage was captured on July 7.