# Who would have thought..



## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

*Hawaiian Teen Recovering From Fish Attack*

*By Associated Press*

*HONOLULU - A 19-year-old Mililani man is recovering at Queen's Medical Center after being impaled by what he says was a barracuda.*

Tonga "Piu" Loumoli was night diving off Kahana Bay near Kaaawa in Windward Oahu late Thursday night when a four-foot-long fish charged into his stomach. The fish wiggled loose, but left behind a six-inch-long gash and a tooth.

A fishing buddy put Loumoli in a small dinghy and dragged him nearly a mile to shore and flagged down a police officer who called for help.

Marine expert Craig Thomas said he has never heard of a barracuda charging into a swimmer. He said it seems more likely that Loumoli was impaled by a needlefish.

But Loumoli, who has been night diving since his freshman year in high school, is adamant that he was attacked by a barracuda.

His fishing companion, Braven Rivera, said he saw the fish clearly and agreed it was a barracuda. The tooth could solve the mystery, Thomas said.

Loumoli was reported in serious condition in the hospital's intensive care unit where he was being treated for a serious liver injury. He is on a machine to help his breathing and cannot talk.

But he scribbled a note to his mother and sister saying, "I'm going to quit diving."


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Maybe he should just give up night diving. During the day at least you can see what is around you to some degree. With such clear waters and varieties of fish. How could you give it up?


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## Guest (Jul 26, 2005)

im going night diving soon. im looking forward to it. luckily there aren't barracuda around here.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

I've night dove a few times, but I can't say I especially enjoyed it. It was nice to see how the "night shift" lives, but the fact that I couldn't see into the blackness while being simultaneously lit up just made me feel like a sitting duck.


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