Underwater Stories & Encounters Manta that Asked for Help

Rescue in Costa Rica

At a site near Bat Islands off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, divers entered the water expecting strong current, bull sharks in the blue, and perhaps the occasional passing manta ray. The plan was a standard drift along the reef while watching a cleaning station where rays often circle. Partway through the dive, an unusually large oceanic manta appeared from open water. Instead of keeping its distance, the animal swam directly toward the group. As it approached, the problem became obvious. Thin white line was wrapped around the head and across the cephalic fins, with several metres trailing behind in a tangled bundle.

Video footage from this day shows the manta slowing down and positioning itself near one of the divers. The animal held almost still in the water, something that mantas rarely do in open ocean. Entanglement in discarded fishing line and nets is a recognised threat for manta populations worldwide, and in many documented cases the injuries are severe. One diver unclipped a cutting tool and began to work on the line. Progress had to be slow and careful. Any sudden movement could have startled the animal or risked cutting skin and gill tissue. On more than one occasion, the loose line looped toward the diver and momentarily caught on equipment. Another member of the group helped manage the trailing section so that it did not create new hazards.

The manta remained calm throughout the process. It made small adjustments in position, then returned again when more line needed to be removed. After several minutes of cutting, the last tight section came free, and only a short fragment remained that could not be reached safely. The animal then circled the group a few times and continued to swim with them for a significant part of the remaining dive, now moving with a more relaxed rhythm. Organisations that study mantas and other large rays report that entanglement in ghost gear is one of the major human related risks for these species. Encounters like the one at Bat Islands are sometimes used in education campaigns to show both the damage caused by lost fishing equipment and the potential for positive outcomes when animals can be reached in time.

The images from this event are simple in composition. A diver, a large ray, and a few strands of line tell the entire story. The most striking frames show the moment just after the line falls away, when the manta begins to swim freely again through clear blue water.