Sickening video shows fishermen cutting tail off shark

Sickening video has emerged showing two fishermen laughing while hacking off a shark's tail and throwing it back into the sea.

The video appears to show the shark becoming trapped in their commercial fishing line in Greenland. But instead of helping the defenceless animal, they cut off its tail with vicious joy.

"Good luck trying to swim, you bastard!" one of the seamen shouts as they laugh. The shark tries to swim away while bleeding profusely from its gaping wound.

The video went viral after being shared by Christel Ýr Johansen, along with the status: "SUCH SICK LOSERS! The guy is so proud of himself that he disabled comments because no one seems to agree with him ... got a screengrab before he closed that.. share at will ;)"

The act of animal cruelty has outraged the public, with one person commenting it was "disgusting".

"No interest in humanity, and it does not change now that this unique Greenland shark (Which is at threat of extinction) could not have less chance of living," another said.

The pair have since been fired and could face criminal charges.

"This act is completely unjustifiable and those who committed it have no excuse. The owners have no other choice but to refuse any more services from the person displaying this kind of behaviour," the owners of the ship said in a statement.

Newshub.