# A Truly Menacing-Looking Shark Statue

> URL: https://www.cityhorror.wiki/en/%EB%87%8C%EC%83%A4%ED%85%94-%ED%98%B8%EC%88%98-24%EB%AF%B8%ED%84%B0-%EC%95%84%EB%9E%98-%EC%9E%A0%EB%93%A0-%EC%83%81%EC%96%B4
> Estimated date: 1975 ~ 2007
> Last updated: 2026-10-28
> Korean original: https://www.cityhorror.wiki/%EB%87%8C%EC%83%A4%ED%85%94-%ED%98%B8%EC%88%98-24%EB%AF%B8%ED%84%B0-%EC%95%84%EB%9E%98-%EC%9E%A0%EB%93%A0-%EC%83%81%EC%96%B4

## Overview

A giant shark statue with its mouth open lies submerged 24 m beneath Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland, and stories about it have circulated widely. The fiberglass shark model rests on the lakebed with its jaws agape, and social media posts repeatedly recount how divers encounter it and are terrified.

The sculpture is said to be a prop made for a film shoot in the past, rather than a real animal. Even so, its appearance—with sharp teeth bared in murky water—is so realistic that both divers who have seen it in person and internet users who have only watched videos continue to express their fear.

## The Shark Statue’s Appearance and Location

The shark in question lies about 24 m beneath the surface of Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland. Reports put its length at either 5.2 m or around 20 feet, and it is made of fiberglass. Its defining features include a large mouth, pointed teeth, and what Times Now described as a “devilishly menacing smile.” Its appearance makes it easy to mistake for a real shark.

A similarly frightening dragon statue is also said to lie at a depth of 50 m in the same lake. According to the local outlet ArcInfo, more than 50 unusual objects have been sunk at a single dive site off the beach at Boudry, and the shark is the most famous of them. Locally, it is reportedly nicknamed “Bruce.”

## The Film Prop Theory — “Choc au Lac”

The most widely known explanation for the shark statue’s origins is that it was a prop for a short film made in the area. British outlet World Manual reported that it was made in 1975 for the unfinished film “Choc au Lac!”, which involved 176 children from the Neuchâtel area and was about a giant shark terrorizing a town. Times Now, however, described the film as a production by an organization called La Jeunesse de la Côte, while an explanation that it was a prop for a 2007 short film has also circulated on the Korean community site FM Korea. Reports differ on when it was made.

It has not been clearly established how the prop ended up on the lakebed after filming. World Manual reported several theories: that someone dumped it there as a prank, that it was placed there to create an unofficial attraction, or that it was meant to promote the unfinished film. Whatever the circumstances, the shark was first discovered by divers around 2002 and has since become a local landmark.

## Videos Resurface and Draw Reactions

Videos of the shark statue periodically resurface on social media, stirring up online discussion. In March 2025, a video posted by the Instagram account “Explaining The Universe” drew renewed attention, prompting Times Now and other international outlets to cover it again. The statue also became a topic of discussion on Reddit and elsewhere in 2026, leading outlets including World Manual to publish articles about it. One YouTube video also explains that the sculpture is underwater near Boudry and is not a living shark.

Reactions to the videos combine fear and humor. Comments cited by Times Now included: “I know it’s fake, but it’s still scary,” “I wouldn’t want to be the diver who found that for the first time,” and “Someone could have a heart attack.” Similar reactions appeared on Korean community sites, such as, “I’d probably have a heart attack if I bumped into that while swimming.”

## Authenticity debate

The main point of debate is not whether the shark statue exists, but whether the many sculptures sunk on the lakebed are cultural assets that make the lake a “diving attraction,” or litter that threatens the ecosystem.

### The case for it being a diving attraction

This view points to the fact that, since the shark was discovered in 2002, it has been a popular destination for divers visiting the lake for nearly two decades. According to ArcInfo, around 50 unusual sculptures lie at the Boudry beach dive site alone, and some divers come from far away specifically to see them. The story of the shark’s origins as a film prop has also become part of the appeal, and it has become part of local culture to the point that it has acquired the nickname “Bruce.”

### The case for it being underwater litter

Those who prioritize environmental protection, on the other hand, are wary of this “trend” spreading further. According to an ArcInfo report, the lakebed contains not only the shark and dragon but also various statues, bathtubs, and fake human models—skeletons that look as though they came from a science classroom—some sunk to depths of 100 m. With unidentified people continuing to sink objects into the lake, concerns are growing about the effects these foreign objects may have on water quality and aquatic life.

## Trivia

- The story of the shark and dragon statues sunk in Lake Neuchâtel is also briefly mentioned in the Korean-language NamuWiki article “Canton of Neuchâtel.” That article simply states that both the shark and the dragon were “made for filming and dumped in the lake after filming ended.”

## Sources

- FM Korea post, [“(Warning) A Shark Statue That Looks Seriously Menacing”](https://www.fmkorea.com/best/10280790105)
- Times Now, [“Diver's Worst Fear? Scary Shark Statue Lurking In Swiss Lake Resurfaces Online; Internet Terrified - WATCH”](https://www.timesnownews.com/viral/divers-worst-fear-scary-shark-statue-lurking-in-swiss-lake-resurfaces-online-internet-terrified-watch-article-119524831) (2025-03-26)
- World Manual, [“Shark Statue Found At The Bottom Of Lake Gives Divers A Fright”](https://worldmanual.co.uk/2026/10/01/shark-statue-found-at-the-bottom-of-lake-gives-divers-a-fright/) (2026-10-01)
- ArcInfo, [“Unusual Objects on the Bottom of Lake Neuchâtel: Treasures or Pollution?”](https://www.arcinfo.ch/neuchatel-canton/objets-insolites-au-fond-du-lac-de-neuchatel-tresors-ou-pollution-1410288) (2024-08-12)
- ArcInfo, [“These Curiosities Lying at the Bottom of Lake Neuchâtel”](https://www.arcinfo.ch/newsletter/arcinfo/des-objets-dans-le-lac-un-tenor-a-cernier-des-ruches-durables-les-nouvelles-du-mardi-13-aout-1411335) (2024-08-13)
- NamuWiki, [“Canton of Neuchâtel”](https://namu.wiki/w/%EB%87%8C%EC%83%A4%ED%85%94%EC%A3%BC)
- YouTube, Sinsang Circuit, [“What If You Encounter a Giant Shark on the Bottom of a Lake?”](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JUODa4MVKmo)

## Verified facts

- The shark statue is at the bottom of Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland.
- The statue is made of fiberglass and is about 20 feet (approximately 5.2 m) long.
- It is depicted with its mouth wide open and sharp teeth exposed.
- It is said to have been made as a prop for a film called Choc au Lac.
- It became a popular diving spot among divers.
- It has been known as a diving attraction since 2002.
- A dragon sculpture is also in Lake Neuchâtel, alongside the shark. (Independently verified)
- Locally, the shark statue is nicknamed “Bruce.”

## Points of dispute

- The production date and nature of the film Choc au Lac: worldmanual.co.uk says it was an unfinished film made in 1975 by 176 children from Neuchâtel, while a post on FM Korea describes it as a 2007 short film.
- The statue’s size and depth: a post on FM Korea says the shark is at a depth of 24 m, the dragon at 50 m, and the shark is 5.2 m long; Times Now and worldmanual.co.uk say the shark is about 20 feet (6 m) long.