Fisherman speared by swordfish

28 February 2013

MANY fishos have occasionally injured themselves in some way out on the water – as evidenced by last week’s story about Fishing World editor Jim Harnwell pinning an 8/0 hook through his hand. While these sort of incidents are largely preventable, spare a thought then for a Malaysian fisherman who was the victim of a freak accident this month.

According to Asia One News, Abu Bakar Bachik was impaled by a swordfish at Teluk Kemang on February 11. Bachik, better known as “Pak Abu”, 57, and his friend Rosli Manap, 55, were returning from their daily catch when the incident occurred near the PD Marina about 3am.

Abu Bakar said he felt like being punched hard in his stomach when he was impaled. “I saw blood gushing out from my T-shirt and realised what had happened,” he said.

“I will never forget the sight of the fish flying towards me before impaling me in the stomach right next to my navel,” he said.

Abu Bakar said the 1m-long fish eventually jumped back into the water.

“Rosli steered the boat back to the jetty so that I could be rushed to Port Dickson Hospital,” he said, adding it was discovered that his intestines were badly damaged in the incident.

“I was referred to Hospital Tuanku Jaafar Seremban (HTJS) where I underwent a six-hour operation.”

Rosli said that in his 30 years of being a fisherman, he had never been in such an incident.

“We have been going to sea for 30 years and this is the first time we had ever been attacked by a swordfish.”

He said it was common to see swordfish jumping in and out of the water but was shocking to see one impaling his friend.