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Another teenager attacked by a fish

A teenager has been left with serious injuries after a fish impaled his chest.

19-year old Tonga "Piu" Loumoli from Mililani, Hawaii, was on a night dive off Kahana Bay near Kaaawa in Windward Oahu last week when a four-foot long fish jabbed him in the chest.

The pointy-snouted piscivore managed to wiggle free, but left behind a big gash in his chest, as well as one of its teeth.

His friend managed to pull him into a dinghy and dragged him for nearly a mile before getting help from a police officer.

According to a report from the Washington Post, Loumoli is now in intensive care at the local hospital where he is being treated for a serious liver injury.

"I'm going to quit diving..."

He is currently attached to a machine to assist his breathing, and is unable to speak. However, he did manage to scribble a note to his mother and sister, which read: "I'm going to quit diving..."

Loumoli is convinced that the fish who attacked him was a Barracuda, however, experts say that it is more likely he was injured by a needlefish.

Practical Fishkeeping has previously reported a similar incident in which a fish, suspected to be a needlefish, impaled a man's eye socket.

Last week we reported an incident in which a 600lb Marlin attacked a teenager who was fishing with his father.

This article may not be reproduced without permission.

Matt Clarke: Mon July 25, 2005, 10:16 am
Matt Clarke: 25.7.2005
More: Washington Post
Views: Read 12,420 times


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