The whale shark that knew it was being rescued

This stunning underwater footage shows the amazing moment a diver rescued a gigantic whale shark from a fishing rope.

The video shows the whale shark struggling with a rope tied around it, slowing digging into its body.

A diver spots the giant fish and seizes the chance to set it free.

It takes just thirty seconds for the diver to remove the rope which may have tortured the gentle giant for years.

The whale shark was swimming in waters off Socorro Island, near the Mexican coast, with the rope tangled round its body

The rope was tugging into the whale shark's body - fishing is one of the biggest risks faced by the giant fish

The diver spotted the whale shark and seized the chance to cut it free from its position of pain