A man hoping to “capture the moment” an angler landed his first marlin off Australia escaped seriously injury when the marlin leaped next to the boat and swiped at his chest with its bill.
However, the marlin pierced and flung the man’s cellphone case/wallet into the ocean, while the phone bounced onto the deck.
The extraordinary footage is shown below, courtesy of Sydney-based Black Pete Quality Tackle.
As explained in the description, Steve Wheeler was trying to document the final moments of a catch by James Thomas when the marlin suddenly changed direction and jumped near the boat.
Hooked marlin have seriously injured anglers, so Wheeler was fortunate to have suffered only a scrape.
Black Pete Quality Tackle explained: “Steve stood there with a torn, bloodstained shirt and a ‘[What] just happened’ expression. I checked on him, and although shaken, he was OK.
“When he lifted his shirt, we all braced for the worst, knowing how dangerous marlin bills can be. Thankfully, it was just a small scrape.”
The footage, edited to show the scene in slow motion, is being widely copied and shared. This is the original version.