It imapaled him after jumping out of the water (Picture: CEN/@PositivityMY)

A fish has stabbed a teenager straight through the neck after jumping out of the water.

Muhammad Idul, 16, was fishing in southern Indonesia when a needlefish leaped out and impaled its long, sharp jaws into his neck.

Local media report he was knocked off the boat and managed to swim to the surface, still with the fish’s mouth embdedded inside him.

He was then taken to a nearby hospital in the city of Baubau but the staff there did not want to remove the fish from his neck because the operation needed specialist equipment.


The teenager was transferred to another hospital in the city of Makassar where doctors performed a delicate one-hour operation to remove the fish from his neck.



Images show the fish’s head after it was pulled from his body, as well as when it was still poking out from his skin.

Local media report he was knocked off the boat and managed to swim to the surface (Picture: CEN/@PositivityMY)

Muhammad Idul, 16, was fishing in southern Indonesia when a needlefish leaped out (Picture: CEN/@PositivityMY)

The needlefish that pierced Muhammad Idul\’s neck (Picture: CEN/@PositivityMY)

Idul is said to be in a stable condition as he recovers in hospital and remains under observation to prevent any potential infections.

It happened in the waters off Wakinamboro village in the South Buton regency.

Anaesthetist Syafri K Arif said he would remain in the hospital for three to four days.

Needlefish (Belonidae) are known for their distinctive long, narrow jaws filled with sharp teeth and are capable of making short jumps out of the water at up to 37mph.

There have been at least two people killed in needlefish incidents as well as many others injured.

A boy in Hawaii aged 10 died while on a night time fishing trip with his dad in 1977 when it pierced his eye.

And 22-year-old Thai navy cadet Kriangsak Pengpanich was killed in 2018 when he was speared during a training exercise.

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