Man Pulled Overboard By Hungry Sea Lion ‘Thought He Was Going To Die’

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Dan Carlin’s mother told him to grin for a design on their 29-foot vessel as he hold adult one of a yellowtail fish they had held that day. Then a sea lion leaped 7 feet out of a water, bit into his palm and yanked him overboard.

The animal, weighing hundreds of pounds, crushed a 62-year-old San Diego accountant opposite a boat’s side and sent his legs drifting into a atmosphere like a broom doll’s before it dragged him some 20 feet underwater, Carlin pronounced Wednesday, some-more than 3 weeks into his liberation after a Apr 5 incident.

Photo: Trish Carlin around AP

Underwater, a sea lion churned Carlin side to side.

“After 15 seconds, we suspicion we was going to die,” Carlin pronounced in an talk with The Associated Press. “I continued to struggle, though suspicion this is a approach we was going to die. It was unimaginable to me.”

Then, as fast as a conflict happened, Carlin was released. He swam toward a aspect as a sea lion bit his foot, puncturing a bone.

He managed to make his approach behind to his vessel that was in a brook off San Diego. He and his mother changed it closer to land while his palm gushed blood and he struggled to breathe since of his smashed chest. At one point, Carlin said, he mislaid his vision.

Carlin spent dual days in a hospital. The indenture on his palm compulsory 20 stitches.

Carlin hopes his palm will have healed adequate so he can go behind out fishing subsequent week. An gifted surfer, scuba diver and fisherman, Carlin pronounced he and his wife, Trish Carlin, always took precautions to scrupulously dispose of any courage or carcasses to safeguard they did not go in a water.

Still, his knowledge shows only how dangerous sea lions can be, notwithstanding a fact that people mostly do not fear them, Carlin said.

“So many times, we see videos of lovable seals, sea lions, though I’m pity what happened to me since we wish relatives to comprehend these are furious assertive animals that can take we down,” he said. “They should be given a far-reaching berth. At slightest a tiny child should do that, though also only about anybody should.”

Article source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/30/man-pulled-overboard-sea-dan-carlin_n_7179612.html?utm_hp_ref=los-angeles&ir=Los+Angeles