
© Catalina Island Marine Institute / AFP
Fishermen seeking a species of tuna off the coast of Chile got a lot more than they bargained for when a giant 16ft long fish fell into their nets during a routine expedition.
The elongated deep-sea fish, identified as the rare giant oarfish, stunned fishermen by coming into their reach in shallow waters near the resort of Iquique in northern Chile.
Footage from the incident shows the monstrous five-meter long fish sprawled across the deck as curious fishermen surround it. In another image, an angler can be seen lying next to the dead creature.
The fish weighed somewhere between a whopping 265 to 331lb (120-150kg) according to Cavancha Caleta fishery coordinator, Rodrigo Oliva. Given its rarity, the specimen was handed over to marine researcher Miguel Araya from the Arturo Prat University for further analysis, reported
La Estrella de Iquique.
Comment: This is interesting in light of the fact that this same strange behavior was filmed last month in Sri Lanka: