Story By Marija Stojkoska
News Editor Ajda Ender
This is the moment a fisherman cuts a loggerhead sea turtle free from a sack after his hook and line snag the trapped animal before releasing it back into the Mediterranean.
Fisherman rescues turtle struggling for its life after getting entangled in a sack thrown into the sea in Samandag, Turkey, undated. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (Newsflash/NX)
The rescue took place off the coastal municipality of Samandag, Hatay Province, on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast on 13th July.
The footage shows the struggling turtle tangled inside a large synthetic sack as it is pulled alongside the fishing boat.
Fisherman rescues turtle struggling for its life after getting entangled in a sack thrown into the sea in Samandag, Turkey, undated. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (Newsflash/NX)
Fisherman Yuksel Kaya carefully lifts the loggerhead aboard and uses a knife to cut away the sack wrapped tightly around its neck and flippers.
Fisherman rescues turtle struggling for its life after getting entangled in a sack thrown into the sea in Samandag, Turkey, undated. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (Newsflash/NX)
As those on board check the animal, one person asks if it has been hurt.
Yuksel replies: “It’s a little injured, but we will release it.”
Fisherman rescues turtle struggling for its life after getting entangled in a sack thrown into the sea in Samandag, Turkey, undated. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (Newsflash/NX)
The video then shows the turtle being lowered back into the sea, where it swims away after regaining its strength.
Yuksel had been fishing off the coast near the Deniz neighbourhood of Samandag when his hook and line snagged on what turned out to be a discarded synthetic sack.
As he reeled it in, he discovered a loggerhead sea turtle trapped inside and unable to free itself.
Fisherman rescues turtle struggling for its life after getting entangled in a sack thrown into the sea in Samandag, Turkey, undated. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (Newsflash/NX)
The sack had become tightly wrapped around the animal’s neck and flippers, leaving it struggling to move and causing a minor injury to one of its flippers.
Yuksel immediately brought the turtle aboard and carefully cut through the material, taking care not to injure it further.
After monitoring the turtle for a short time and confirming it was able to swim again, he returned it to its natural habitat in the Mediterranean.
The entire rescue was recorded on a mobile phone by people aboard the fishing boat.
Loggerhead sea turtles are globally classified as vulnerable by the IUCN and are found throughout the Mediterranean, including along Turkey’s southern coastline.
The rescue highlighted the danger discarded waste such as sacks and other marine litter poses to sea life.
(Marija Stojkoska/Newsflash)
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