# Human deaths from marlin or swordfish? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 21, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-deaths-from-marlin-or-swordfish/503788 "2009-07-21T22:01:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-deaths-from-marlin-or-swordfish/503788/1 "2009-07-21T22:01:47Z")
Have there been any documented cases of humans getting killed by marlin or swordfish? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Poster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Happy\_Poster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Poster)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-deaths-from-marlin-or-swordfish/503788/2 "2009-07-21T22:06:25Z")
yes ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-deaths-from-marlin-or-swordfish/503788/3 "2009-07-21T23:09:26Z")
no ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-deaths-from-marlin-or-swordfish/503788/4 "2009-07-21T23:10:27Z")
maybe so ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-deaths-from-marlin-or-swordfish/503788/5 "2009-07-21T23:14:49Z")
[So close](http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?t=14906) ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-deaths-from-marlin-or-swordfish/503788/6 "2009-07-21T23:17:05Z")
Actually, big-game fishing can be dangerous when those types of fish do their thrashing about near (or on) the boat. There have been [informal reports](http://swimatyourownrisk.com/2005/11/24/death-by-swordfish/) and [medical reports](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17475591) of deaths caused by this. I would hesitate calling it “attacks” though. There is apparently a video of a marlin getting a fisherman this way, but I can’t make myself watch it. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-deaths-from-marlin-or-swordfish/503788/7 "2009-07-22T02:16:16Z")
Marlin attack video ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-deaths-from-marlin-or-swordfish/503788/8 "2009-07-22T03:54:30Z")
Check out the Ellis book, “Big Fish”. My copy is on loan.☹ ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-deaths-from-marlin-or-swordfish/503788/9 "2009-07-22T13:09:58Z")
I think in the video posted, the marlin’s bill goes right into the guy’s mouth, but he survived OK. In another video caught on tape, a marlin spears a woman in the chest, just missing a lung. It also punctured and pushed inside her chest cavity a silicone implant. She survived OK, too. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-deaths-from-marlin-or-swordfish/503788/10 "2009-07-22T13:24:06Z")
Thanks for the information. I appreciate it! I have always been impressed by the looks of these big, beautiful, powerful fish. Very impressive creatures! ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-deaths-from-marlin-or-swordfish/503788/11 "2009-07-22T14:24:33Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > There is apparently a video of a marlin getting a fisherman this way, but I can’t make myself watch it. Well, if you were walking down the street, and you stopped by a bagel shop for something to eat, and then suddenly you realized that you’ve swallowed a big hook that’s lodged into your throat, and that it’s attached to a line that’s pulling you into the ocean where you can’t breath–well, you’d be in the mood to impale someone yourself. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-deaths-from-marlin-or-swordfish/503788/12 "2009-07-22T16:22:19Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Well, if you were walking down the street, and you stopped by a bagel shop for something to eat, and then suddenly you realized that you’ve swallowed a big hook that’s lodged into your throat, and that it’s attached to a line that’s pulling you into the ocean where you can’t breath–well, you’d be in the mood to impale someone yourself. I’ve seen two rather disturbing short films like that.