Hooked marlin does a U-turn, kills fishermen’s boat motor

Fishermen in Australia were hooked up to a black marlin on Sunday when the billfish turned the tables on them and left them stranded 20 miles offshore after disabling their boat motor.

“It happened so quick,” the skipper told Marine Rescue New South Wales. “We were fighting it and it did a U-turn and slammed into the engine.”

The estimated 150-pound black marlin punched a hole in the engine’s canvas cover and cowling, disabling the vessel just before 1 p.m.

“It was a freaky thing,” the unidentified skipper said.

The fishermen were forced to cut the line and radio Marine Rescue Merimbula to request a tow.

It took the rescue boat an hour to reach the disabled 22-foot vessel and about two hours to tow it back to Kianinny boat ramp, located about halfway between Sydney and Melbourne.

For Marine Rescue Merimbula unit commander Bill Blakeman, this was a first in his 15 years of volunteer service on the water.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Angler mistakes rod holder for boat’s fuel tank; ‘expensive mistake’

“It was an unusual rescue,” Blakeman told Marine Rescue NSW. “I’ve had a couple of shark-related incidents over the years where they attacked propellers, but never a marlin disabling a vessel.”

The boat owner was extremely grateful. He said he’d be making a donation to the Marine Rescue NSW.

“I am very thankful for the assistance Marine Rescue provided,” the skipper said.

Photo of generic blue marlin courtesy of Wikipedia Commons; photos of the rescue courtesy of Marine Rescue NSW.