Is This Fish The Most Dangerous Fish In The Sea?

Welcome back to Scary Animal Attacks! Today’s episode takes us to the beautiful tropical water of Hawaii, USA. This area of the ocean has a spotted floor of sea grass for fish to hide within. Common fish include butterfly fish, tangs, parrotfish, trigger fish and needlefish amongst many others. This area is a local favorite for spear fisherman as it slopes gently for a distance of about 1700 feet ranging in depth from 1 to about 8 feet. This shallow zone of the bay offers an amazing range of fish for sportsmen, but the fish they seek to spear are not defenseless.
Around 11 PM, on July 21st, of 2007, nineteen year old Tonga Loumali was spearfishing with three of his friends in the shallow waters of Kanaha Bay. The moonlight danced on the waves creating a shimmer below the surface which allows night hunters to find their prey, but humans use flashlights to help them see.
Tonga was accompanied by three of his friends, including Braven Rivera who was 44 years old. Tonga was a large man and stood at 6’1” tall and weighed 225 pounds of solid muscle. He was nicknamed Papio after the very first fish he speared when he began, and has enjoyed it ever since, both the nickname and the sport.
Tonga, Rivera and their friends were operating their spear fishing venture for the evening utilizing a raft they pulled along with them. The raft was used to hold the fish they speared but also worked as a place to get out and take care of any wounds they might have inflicted on themselves while they walked through the rocks and coral sometimes found along the bottom of the bay.
The men fished in the same area with each other but far enough to have a unique fishing environment for each. Tonga wore his trademarked silver cross necklace as he searched the waters. It meant alot to him and he valued it as it was one of his favorite pieces of jewelry. He was also equipped with a flashlight so that he could search the dark water for precisely what he wanted.
As Tonga and Braven bobbed through the 7 foot deep water for the better part of the night, they were just about ready to pack up and leave. Their friends had already made their way back to shore, and were now waiting for Tonga and Rivera.On their last dive for the night, they saw a large fish flash by. It blurred within a few inches of Tonga’s face and flickered as it spun around just a few feet away. Tonga maneuvered his flashlight in an attempt to see what kind of fish it was. The men thought it was a barracuda but as Tonga looked down toward the seabed, he could see a set of eyes and a mouth full of teeth as the fish sped toward him. Suddenly Tonga felt a powerful impact to his upper abdomen. He later related it to being hit with a sledgehammer. He felt the gash open up near the full length of his gut so quickly that he thought he was already dead. He could feel the fish wiggling its way back out of his body as he was stunned and sat still. He stated that at that moment he remembered saying to himself that it was God's will, then let it be done.
Tonga stood still for a few seconds before the pain of the strike set in. It was excruciating, as the fish spear-like beak severed nerves, muscle and lacerated his liver.
The men quickly surfaced after the fish speared Tonga. Rivera could see his friend was in extreme distress and immediately began pulling the raft close and trying to get his friend aboard.
Tonga stated that he had been hit by something but wasn’t sure just how injured he was. Rivera grabbed his flashlight and directed it toward Tonga. The light revealed an enormous wound with blood spurting from it and quickly dissolving into the sea.
Given he was much smaller than Tonga, he struggled to balance the raft, but Tonga was still powerful enough to lift himself up into it. Rivera then began pulling the craft toward the shore as Tonga lay inside.
As soon as they made it ashore, Rivera ran to nearby houses to find help. He searched for someone walking to their car or out for a peaceful night's stroll with their dog, but couldn’t find anyone. He began hoping to find a police offer and as he glanced up, one drove around the corner directly to him. The police officer radioed in and requested an ambulance to the street to help Tonga.
Tonga was taken to Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, having lost sensation in his right arm and leg by the time he had arrived. He was in serious condition and received 45 stitches to close the wound in his stomach and sutures in his damaged liver. Still uncertain of exactly what kind of fish had struck him, surgeons confirmed it was a Crocodile Needlefish after removing a tooth from the fish still embedded in his flesh.
Just to understand the Crocodile Needlefish a little more.