Off Masbate in the Philippines, fisherman Elmer Alburo says he released an accidentally caught megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios). GMA News reported the encounter on September 30, 2026. The television report includes footage of the animal.
Rope removed from the tail
Alburo describes a rope wrapped around the shark’s tail. He says he removed it so the animal could escape. The fisherman says he did not injure the shark and believes it survived after release. The report provides no independent confirmation of its subsequent fate.
Size and capture date remain unclear
Alburo’s figures of seven metres in length and 250 to 300 kilograms in weight are not verified measurements. The article also gives neither the exact capture date nor the precise location off Masbate; its publication date should therefore not be treated as the event date.
In the report, AA Yaptinchay of Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines stresses the value of photographs and video recordings of such encounters. He recommends sharing the documentation with specialists.
