Why Did That Swordfish Stab the Big Island Fisherman?

National Geographic talks with fish scientists to figure it out.

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The bizarre incident last week that claimed the life of Big Island charter boat captain Randy Llanes captured headlines and news clips around the world. Llanes was impaled by a swordfish after he saw it swimming in Honokohau Harbor at Kailua-Kona and then jumped in the water and speared it.

This National Geographic report attempts to try to understand what happened. Scientists say it is unusual for a deep-water fish like that to be in a harbor and speculated it might have been ill, among other things.

The obvious conclusion: it was probably a defensive behavior, the scientists say.

Our media partner, KITV, has this story on the community’s farewell to Llanes.

Note: the National Geo article mispells his name.

Randy Llanes swordfish Big Island

Charter boat captain Randy Llanes died after being speared by a swordfish in the Honokohau Harbor.

KITV.com

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