Gulf of Mexico - During an excursion in the Gulf of Mexico, a group of fishermen had a surprising encounter with a blue marlin. Instead of surrendering to its fate, the animal had other – very dangerous – plans!

A video from the fishing company from Fairhope, Alabama, shows the shocking scene in a clip that went viral on TikTok with over 66 million views and counting!

The fishermen can be seen on their boat trying to reel in a spear-nosed fish – but the animal doesn't make it easy for the men, leaping into the air and squirming with all its might.

Then comes the shock... with its sword in front, the predatory fish suddenly shoots out of the water toward one of the fishermen and lands on deck.

Dogs Dog owners drive over 4,000 miles so senior golden retriever can enjoy holidays with family!

The man screams in fear, and a scuffle ensues. Panicked, both fish and man try to move away from each other.

Fortunately, after just seven seconds, the scare is over as the fish has slipped back into the sea, and the fisherman has barely escaped with his life.

The footage shows just how lucky the fisherman was – the sword of the blue fish scrapes just a few centimeters past the man's upper body.

"Close call on the Jubilee today. Thankfully, no one was hurt," the company wrote in the caption of their video.

In the comments, many were happy that the fisherman was not speared, but several also sided with the blue marlin and emphasized that the deep-sea fish is endangered and has every right to defend itself.

The blue marlin is one of the fastest fish in the world, reaching speeds of up to 82 miles per hour. Adults can grow up to 12 feet long and weigh nearly 1300 pounds!