A FISHERMAN in the Philippines has died after being pulled underwater by a huge fish and hitting his head on a rock before drowning.

Jovy Baldado Narciso, 31, was harpooning in Negros Oriental province Aug. 9 when he was pulled under the waves.

The fisherman had speared a 5-kilogram fish with a spearfishing rifle before th e animal shot under a collection of rocks.

The act of swimming away so quickly caused the rope attached to the harpoon to entangle Jovy’s legs and pull him into the water, where he hit his head against a rock. With the fish refusing to come out of hiding, Jovy struggled to free himself and reach the surface of the water – but was unable to break free and drowned.

An officer from Manjuyod Police Station said: “Concerned relatives reported that the man was missing the next morning. We did a search and rescue operation and immediately found his body.

“The rope was still tied around the man’s body while the fish was still under the rock with the harpoon. They were both dead when we arrived.”

Superstitious neighbors believed the fish the fisherman killed was “bad” because Jovy’s death was the second drowning incident to occur in the lake after a 14-year-old also died in the area last week. (SD-Agencies)