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Fisherman impaled by giant marlin

Maev Kennedy

London: A fisherman is recovering from a Hemingway-like encounter with a giant marlin, which leapt from the sea, skewered him close to the heart, and dragged him into the Caribbean.

Ian Card's tangle with a 4-metre marlin, during a sea-angling tournament off Bermuda, was watched by his father Alan, who was skippering the boat.

They were exultant when they hooked the first fish in the tournament. It would normally take several hours to reel in such a giant. "It impaled him with its bill, about two-and-a-half feet long," Mr. Card said. "The fish flew across the cockpit and took him out of the boat... The marlin was on top of him. He had his arms wrapped around the fish and it was pushing him under."

The younger Mr. Card managed to wrench himself off the spike. He resurfaced about 16 m from the boat, pumping blood.

Another member of the crew radioed emergency services. He was ferried to Bermuda.

© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006

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