UPDATE: Angler dubbed the ‘Turtle Ninja’
As the dawn light broke, the fishermen could finally see what they were reeling in
DESPITE serious risk to life and limb, Richards Bay angler Nishan Komar last week put his fears aside to free a critically endangered sea turtle from a deadly trap.
It was during a Thursday predawn outing to the South Pier that another fisherman who had set his line down close to Nishan’s spot felt something odd had been hooked.
‘He told me something strange was going on,’ said 38-year-old Komar.
‘When he picked up his rod, we saw he had something big on the other end of it.’
Slowly and carefully, the angler reeled in his ‘catch’, taking care not to snap the line.
‘It was still quite dark, and he had thrown his line out a good 50 metres,’ said Komar.
As the dawn light broke, the fishermen could finally see what they were reeling in.
‘We saw this green and brown thing and as the light became better, we realised it was a turtle, quite a big one, too.’
Komar said the hapless animal was floating belly up, and they noticed a gill net and string tangled around its fins and body.
While balancing precariously on the treacherous dolosse, Komar used a gaff to hook a piece of line attached to the turtle, and pulled it closer.
Read the full story in the ZO Monday edition.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
For news straight to your phone invite us:
WhatsApp – 072 069 4169
Instagram – zululand_observer
