Swordfish Impales Beloved Hawaiian Fisherman

swordfish

There are some dangerous predators in the ocean and fishing can be a dangerous sport. In a shocking incident from the mainland of Hawaii, a swordfish impaled a beloved 47-year-old spear fisherman.

Randy Llanes, the owner of a fishing charter boat out of Honokohau Harbor, was remembered by family and friends as a beloved fisherman who cherished the ocean and was extremely generous. More than 200 people reportedly came to the local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

“He was just a great local boy, good attitude, good person, would help anybody out,” friend Dale Leverone told local KHON 2 news.  “He has a heck of a lot of friends. It’s pretty sad, pretty tragic.”

Friends said Llanes had spotted the swordfish, about 3-feet long weighing 40 pounds, swimming in the harbor and grabbed his mask and spear gun. When Llanes speared the fish it got tangled on an anchor buoy and circled back toward him. That’s when it stabbed him in the chest.

Llanes was quickly dragged from the water and taken to Kona Community Hospital. The fish too was recovered for investigation purposes. Experts say it’s unusual for a swordfish to be swimming in such shallow waters.

Director of Waikiki aquarium Andrew Rossiter told KHON 2 an incident like this is very rare for one of the fastest swimming fish in the ocean.

“There are two possible reasons,” said Rossiter said. “one maybe the fish was following a school of fish into the shallow water, the other reason is maybe the fish was injured in some way or somehow impaired.” 

Llanes was the owner of a local charter boat since 2008 but he had captained boats since the 1990s. Known by many around town as a tough guy with a heart of gold, he was said to be very generous. A renowned fisherman, reports say Llanes even hauled in a 500-pound marlin the day before his death.

The incident follows the shark attack death of a 65-year-old woman in Maui on Wednesday. 

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