Amazing footage of a diver having a close encounter with sleeping sharks off the coast of Gan in the Madives.

The video, filmed a couple of years ago, shows the 10ft nurse sharks sleeping under a reef.

The filmer later wrote online: "These sharks are unlike many other types of sharks that need to swim forward in order to breath.

"These sharks are capable of opening and closing the mouth (like moray eels) and this forces oxygenated water over the gills (breathing)."

"They are nocturnal and will be mainly active at night when they are on the hunt for food," he continued.

These sleeping Nurse Sharks were around 10ft in length (tip to tail) and were found in a cave sleeping. These sharks are unlike many other types of sharks that need to swim forward in order to breath. These sharks are capable of opening and closing the mouth (like moray eels) and this forces oxygenated water over the gills (breathing). They are nocturnal and will be mainly active at night when they are on the hunt for food.