A fisherman got the shock of his life when an octopus suddenly latched onto his face and refused to let go, forcing him into a wild struggle to break free.
Jesser Cervantes was fishing from a small wooden boat near Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Philippines, when he reeled in the feisty sea creature on July 10.
But instead of becoming an easy catch, the octopus quickly turned the tables.
Terrifying footage shows the animal wrapping its tentacles around Cervantes’ head and face as he desperately tries to pull it off.
At one point, the octopus appears to cover his mouth with its powerful suckers, leaving the fisherman struggling to free himself.
The creature clung on so tightly that Cervantes eventually grabbed a piece of bamboo and repeatedly struck it in an effort to loosen its grip.
After a tense struggle, the octopus finally released him.
Cervantes then tossed the animal back into the ocean and took a moment to recover from the bizarre encounter.
“The octopus I caught was very hard to handle,” Cervantes said. “It almost ripped my face.”
Octopuses are known for their remarkable strength and intelligence, with hundreds of powerful suckers that allow them to cling tightly to prey, rocks and other surfaces.
Their flexible bodies and strong arms can make them especially difficult to remove once they get a solid grip.
For Cervantes, what started as an ordinary fishing trip quickly became a terrifying tug-of-war with one very determined octopus.
