A heartbreaking video shows a fisherman trying to save an endangered turtle with a large hook stuck in its mouth.
Captain Ilkut Dumeke, who spotted the loggerhead sea turtle struggling after a hook pierced its tongue, launched his dinghy and managed to pull it aboard.
Footage captures him and his friends diligently pouring seawater over the 176lb turtle to keep it healthy during the journey to shore at Yahsi beach in Bodrum, south-west Turkey.
Heartbreaking footage showed Captain Ilkut Dumeke rescuing a 176lb turtle with a hook in its mouth to keep it healthy as they took it to shore in Bodrum, south-west Turkey
The clip showed the turtle clearly in pain as it floundered on the side of the boat with the hook protruding from its mouth.
After successfully getting it to shore, captain Dumeke took it to a local vet to stabilise its condition.
He then contacted the Sea Turtle Research Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, in nearby Ortaca, which collected the turtle and took over its care.
Captain Dumeke later shared a video of his rescue operation on social media where it quickly went viral.
He used the clip’s popularity to urge fishermen to be more careful with their hooks and to keep conservation in their thoughts.
Captain Dumeke said: ‘Loggerhead sea turtles are an endangered species living, or at least trying to live, in the Mediterranean.
The clip showed the turtle clearly in pain as it floundered on the side of the boat with the hook protruding from its mouth, while men poured water over it to keep it healthy
After successfully getting the Caretta caretta turtle to shore, captain Dumeke first took it to a local vet to stabilise its condition – it is now having antibiotic treatment
‘They are protected by law worldwide but litter and fish hooks thrown into the sea by HUMANS are limiting their already limited living spaces in the sea.
‘Yes, this turtle was lucky to be found by us and has been sent for treatment. The hook had drilled through its tongue and stuck into its palate, but it was saved by surgery.
‘It is now having antibiotic treatment. It will be released back to its natural habitat in one month’s time.
‘Now watch this video, see how much in pain he is in, and continue polluting our seas and animals.’
Loggerhead sea turtles are protected by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Untended fishing gear is said to be responsible for many loggerhead deaths.