Tourist doesn’t see what’s lurking beneath her in the water: ‘You could die’

A tourist and her friend were shocked to discover a deadly animal that could have caused serious injury or death was lurking in the waters below them during an excursion during their vacation.

Fabiana Palano, 27, was present the island state of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean in late October when she decided to take a boat trip with a local guide. But just as she was about to get off the boat at the end of her experience, the guide spotted a stonefish in the water and told her to wait.

“I was a little scared and a little curious,” Palano said Newsweek. “I’ve never seen a stonefish before and it really amazed me how the local man was able to spot it under the sand. It was invisible to me.”

Palano shared a video of the incident TikTokwhich has received over 301,000 views since it was shared on November 12. In the clip, the guide points out a white blob in the clear water with a long spear, something that seems unsuspecting to someone who is not familiar with stonefish.

The guide then jabs the fish with the spear and lifts it above the water, with the creature appearing brown in color, broadly built, and having broad, rounded fins on the sides and smaller fins on top.

“It is very dangerous if you step on this,” you hear the guide say. Later in the video we see a close-up of the fish on the sandy beach, with its frowning face and spiky fins.

Stonefish are found in rocky or muddy bottoms of marine habitats in the Indo-Pacific region, which includes the waters of Mauritius.

The fish has 13 fins along its back and releases venom under pressure, such as being stepped on. However, they do not actively attack humans. Stings require immediate medical attention and can lead to death if left untreated.

Palano said: “Sea life always makes me curious. I was sad about the death of the fish, but there were children playing there, and it would be very dangerous to leave the fish there and risk the children’s lives on the to play.”

Mauritius, located approximately 2,000 kilometers off the east coast of Africa, is an increasingly popular holiday destination. According to Mauritius Statistics, an official government body of the country, the number of tourist arrivals in Mauritius increased from 997,290 in 2022 to 1,295,410 in 2023.

TikTok users shared their thoughts on Palano’s video in the comments section. Sakura Bella Vita said: “Between stonefish and sea urchins, Mauritius’ marine life really wants to sting you.”

@Lifeisablessing4real commented: “Poor fish.”

“That’s sad he killed it,” @ThisgirlJT posted. “You don’t have to be there, it’s his pool,” Shelly added.

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