This is the terrifying moment a group of hungry Great White sharks tear apart the carcass of a humpback whale.

Roughly eight sharks can be seen ferociously ripping at the remains of a dead whale calf, while seabirds fly above ready to grab their share of the blubber.

The spectacular feeding frenzy was spotted by a group of scientists from Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, who went out to tag some basking sharks.

They took to the waters just off East Boston, Massachusetts, USA in August, and first saw the large carcass floating in the water moments before the sharks pounced.

The researchers managed to tag five of the feasting Great Whites, which are rarely seen on the water's surface, with special acoustic sensors.

This will mean the mysterious predators can be tracked and studied as they migrate south for the winter.

Additionally, one of the marine biologists managed to get a look at the pattern underneath the whale's tail fin, and identified it as a one-year-old calf of known mother whale named Venom.

Its young age meant that it was likely killed by human interaction after coming to the surface, like a large boat or fishing net.

Humpback whales can grow up to 16 metres long and 36 metric tons- the size of a school bus - and are frequently spotted feeding at the surface in summer putting them at risk of getting in the pathway of boats.

However, as the remains of this calf were so badly damaged by the sharks it was impossible to tell the actual cause of death.

Fortunately, the carcass became negatively buoyant as a result of the feed and sank to the sea bed, providing food for other sharks for many years to come.

The biologists didn't manage to tag the calf before it fell, but if it is located it could reveal important information about the ecology of the area, and will be the first fall ever studied in Stellwagen Bank.

The video was filmed in August 2021.