Two massive ‘doomsday fish’ wash up on beach in Mexico: ‘This can’t be real’
The 30-foot-long Oarfish surfaced along the shore of Cabo San Lucas in Baja in an unusual occurrence. Instagram/monicaandco_
A Rare Deep-Sea Encounter on a Mexican Beach
Beachgoers in Cabo San Lucas, Baja, were startled when two enormous deep-sea creatures known as “doomsday fish” washed up on the shore, creating a scene that quickly drew attention from tourists and sparked speculation about what their appearance might mean.
The animals were Oarfish, unusual ribbon-shaped fish that normally live far below the ocean’s surface at depths reaching about 3,200 feet. One of the massive fish, estimated to be around 30 feet long, appeared along the shoreline last month. Video shared on Instagram captured the moment as onlookers watched from a distance while one young woman rushed forward to try to return the struggling fish to the water.
Monica Pittenger, who filmed the moment, said the group first noticed something unusual shimmering in the distance.
“We saw something in the distance. It was flashing and very bright,” Pittenger explained in a video posted with the social media account We Love Animals. “When we got closer, it didn’t look like anything we had ever seen before. We honestly thought it couldn’t be real.”
According to Pittenger, her sister immediately stepped in when she realized the animal was struggling.
Beachgoers in Cabo were stunned to spot two deep-sea oarfish near the shore, a rare glimpse of the mysterious “doomsday fish” that are hardly seen at the surface. pic.twitter.com/jxdzD2tx5U
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) March 8, 2026
“My sister can’t stand seeing anything in pain,” Pittenger said. “She reacted instantly.”
Footage shows the long, silvery fish writhing in the sand while Pittenger’s sister attempts to guide it back toward the ocean. As the effort continued, one woman encouraged the men standing nearby to help. Eventually about five people joined in, and together they managed to push the massive fish back into the water.
A second Oarfish was also discovered further up the beach. The species holds the distinction of being the longest known bony fish, with some individuals capable of growing to lengths of around 56 feet.
Pittenger later said both animals eventually made their way back into the sea.
“She managed to get it back into the water, and both of them swam away,” she recalled. “I think people hesitated at first because nobody knew what it was. You just don’t see something like that every day.”
She described the moment as surreal.
“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Pittenger said. “It felt like something out of a movie. Once we realized how rare it was, it became a really incredible experience.”
Seeing two Oarfish in one place is considered extraordinarily uncommon, sometimes described as a “one in a billion” event. Over the years, the fish have earned the nickname “doomsday fish” because folklore claims their appearance near the surface may signal upcoming natural disasters such as earthquakes or tsunamis.
The Ocean Conservancy notes that scientists have found no evidence connecting Oarfish sightings with seismic events. Still, legends persist. In Japanese mythology, the long serpentine fish are believed to come ashore before major trouble strikes.
Speculation about this belief increased after the 2011 Fukushima earthquake and tsunami, when dozens of Oarfish were found along Japanese shores during the two years leading up to the disaster.
Despite those ominous associations, Pittenger said witnessing the rare creatures firsthand felt more remarkable than frightening.
She described the encounter as “extremely magical.”
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