Shocking footage captured the terrifying moment a massive fish clamped down on a mermaid performer’s head as she entertained children underwater at a Chinese aquarium.
Masha, a Russian aquatic performer, was swimming in a tank at the Xishuangbanna Primitive Forest Park in southern China on Tuesday, January 28, when she inadvertently swam into the path of the fish.
The creature then lunged at Masha, 22, nearly engulfing her entire head in its jaws while children and other onlookers screamed in panic, as seen in the video.
Masha managed to fight off the fish and free herself from its grip, though the fish tore off her goggles in the process. She quickly swam to the surface for safety.
The performer sustained injuries to her head, neck, and eye, with Russian media sharing photos of her bruised and cut-up face. Masha claims her employer insisted she return to the water despite her injuries and instructed her not to share the footage of the attack.
However, the video went viral on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. She later revealed that she received less than $100 in compensation for the incident.
