Flying needle-fish stabs boy in neck

A 16-year-old boy survived an unexpected stabbing from a flying needle-fish as he was fishing along with his parents. The boy underwent life-saving surgery.

It happened in Indonesia, where the 16-year-old Muhammad Idul was fishing with his parents in Buton waters off the South East Sulawesi province when a needlefish jumped out of the water.

The fish’s long slender snout sliced straight through the 16-year-old’s neck and pierced the back of his skull. The images of the incident went viral after being shared on Facebook.

With fish sticking to his neck, the boy was rushed to a hospital to undergo a complex surgery aimed at removing the fish in a way that it avoids slitting his throat.

‘To remove the fish snout, one must be very careful because there is a large vessel in the neck, Professor Dr Syafri K. Arif told a local news outlet.

Muhammad is recovering well but remains in hospital due to infection risks.

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Needle-fish are distinguished by their long, slender jaw which bears multiple sharp teeth capable of inflicting deep wounds.

They are also adept jumpers renowned for leaping out of the water at up to 60 km/h.