Rare prehistoric fish spotted off UK coast in 'very unusual' occurrence

A diver had a close encounter with a prehistoric fish, not seen off the British coast for 20 years. Charles Hood was swimming with blue sharks when he came face-to-face with a wreckfish, usually found in deep waters. Yet, Charles spotted it just a few miles offshore near Lamorna, Penzance, Cornwall, sparking speculation among nature experts that this could be a sign of climate change.

This area has been a hotspot for unusual animal sightingsthis year, including locusts, praying mantises and odd-looking sea slugs.

Charles shared his astonishment at the rare sighting with What's The Jam, saying: "They are rare," and "They are usually found in deep water, hence their name.

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"Deep sea anglers sometimes haul them up well offshore - but not at all frequently. To see one mid water or near the surface is very unusual."

He added: "I've been filming various sharks in Cornish waters for over 20 years and this is the only time I've ever seen one."

A spokesperson for the Cornwall Wildlife Trust said: "It's very rare for a person to have an encounter like this. Most people will never see one of these fish as they don't come close to shore, preferring deep waters.

"The prehistoric looking species can live for up to 100 years and can grow to around seven-feet long. It's amazing what's happening around Cornwall's coast and just how much there is to understand and to protect."

It wouldn't be the only story of a rare sea creature being caught in Cornishwaters to surface this year. In July, reports revealed how an angler named Aaron Meade had cast his line into waters near Padstow and hauled in an ocean sunfish.

Aaron, 39, from Bodmin, who had been fishing solo at the time, described how there had been a "lot of splashing", and his rod had bent "right over", making him think he'd hooked a seal.

He said: "It wasn't until about ten minutes in that I realised it was a sunfish. I still can't quite believe it happened."

However, it is hardly shocking that Aaron was left stunned by his remarkable catch, as the beast boasts the record of being the world's largest bony fish. Also known as mola mola, the colossal sunfish can reach up to a whopping 11 feet and even tip the scales at up to 2.5 tons.

"I was only using a £20 line, so I'm amazed it didn't snap," Aaron said. "I got it close to the rocks, grabbed one of its long fins, and helped it onto a rock to unhook it. I took a few quick photos and then waded in up to my knees to help it recover before it swam away."