Stephen Schultz, a young fisherman from Marietta, Georgia, cheated death after a 600lb black marlin leapt out the water and speared him in the mouth with its sharp spear-like bill.
Stephen Schultz had been fishing off the coast of Pinas Bay, Panama, with his sister and father and was trying to reel in the monster catch when he was horrifically wounded.
The boy was sat on the edge of the boat and had hooked the thrashing marlin on to his line as his family watched.
Few seconds after watching the giant fish leap into the air, the marlin is pulled towards the vessel and lunges towards Stephen Schultz, impaling him in the mouth with its giant sharp bill.
Stephen Schultz’s father can be heard shouting, “Oh my God”, as the huge fish falls off the side of the boat and back into the water.
The boy’s mouth was impaled during the accident, with the marlin’s sword piercing his cheek and nasal cavity.
Stephen Schultz was rushed to hospital after the horrific incident, as his family sailed back to Panama before he was flown 100 miles north to National Hospital in Panama City.
Amazingly, Stephen Schultz escaped the horrendous incident in 2008 without any scarring.
Describing the moment he was impaled by the fish, Stephen Schultz said he had been wrestling with the marlin for 25 minutes before he was speared.
“He jumped once, facing away from the boat and turned around in mid-air; he was about 15 feet away; went back into the water, made one more jump toward the back of the boat and his bill struck me on the left side of the face and knocked me onto the ground.”
Stephen Schultz’ sister Alison, who filmed the accident, said: “I wasn’t too sure what happens when you go deep sea fishing.
“I wasn’t sure if they were supposed to be that close. So I was like, I’ll get this on film. Then it was in the boat. Before I could react, it was already at us. So I just kept rolling.”
Stephen Schultz’s father Robert added: “I’ve heard of people having marlins come up. Usually, they’re in control and they can jump in a vertical type of situation.
“It won’t be where they take a run at you. We thought we were safe.”
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