Huge 'Harbringer of Doom' oarfish caught by fisherman - but it's an ominous sign

03 March 2024 , 10:35

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The elusive sea creature - believed by superstitious locals to be a harbinger of earthquakes - was caught by a trawler (Image: ViralPress)

A massive deep-sea oarfish believed to be a ‘harbinger of natural disasters’ has been caught by fishermen.

The creature, which was already dead when it was hauled on board the vessel, was caught in the Andaman Sea about eight nautical miles from Phuket, Thailand. According to Japanese folklore, the appearance of the sea beast can signal an imminent earthquake or tsunami. The authorities said they intend to display the nearly 9ft 4ins - almost three meters long - in a museum.

Giant oarfish can grow up to 50-feet-long and are usually found 3,000ft below water. The deepwater oarfish, weighing 19lbs, was caught in the net of a fishing trawler. Due to their size and shape, oarfish resemble ‘sea serpents’ and are considered harbingers of earthquakes and misfortune in mythology.

The fishing crew handed the body over to another boat making its way back to the fishing pier in Thai Mueang as they had yet to finish their shift. After being informed of the rare find, regional fisheries chief Sitthiphol Muangsong and officials from the Phuket Coastal Fisheries Research and Development Centre arrived at the pier to investigate.

The dead oarfish washed up on the coast of a Thai island (ViralPress)

Authorities now want to display the creature in a museum (ViralPress)

According to the authorities, the oarfish carcass was in good condition apart from a small wound to its head. It was then taken to the country’s National Science Museum for further study. Experts will also analyse the body of another dead oarfish found off the coast of Satun Province, Thailand, in January.

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After carrying out their research, officials will place both oarfish on display in the museum for locals to view. They are considered one of the longest fish in the ocean and can measure up to 55ft (16m 76cm) in length and weigh over 440lbs (199kg). Their body is scaleless and the skin has a slimy, silvery protective coating known as guanine.

Due to its ability to adapt to different temperatures, oarfish are found in most of the world's oceans with the exception of the poles. They live at depths of up to 3,280ft (1,000m) and sightings are not very common. Sometimes they wash up on beaches after a storm or when they suffer a serious injury. When they do appear, many locals take it as a sign that a natural disaster is about to strike.

In February 2019, the washing up of three giant oarfish on Japan's shores sparked fears of an impending earthquake or tsunami. After the Uozu Aquarium posted pictures of the dead oarfish, social media users had been speculating their appearance is an omen.

Lee Bullen