Terrifying footage captured the moment a huge fish clamped its jaws down a woman dressed as a mermaid as she performed underwater for children at a Chinese aquarium.
The Russian aquatic artist, identified only as Masha, was swimming in a tank at the Xishuangbanna Primitive Forest Park in southern China on Tuesday, Jan. 28, when she swam in the path of the fish.
The fish then bites down on Masha, 22, nearly swallowing her whole head in its mouth while children and other spectators scream in horror, the clip shows.
Masha fights back and is able to free herself from the fish, which ripped off her goggles, before swimming quickly to the surface.
The performer suffered head, neck and eye injuries, according to Russian media reports, which published photos of her bruised and cut-up face.
Masha claims her employer forced her back in the water despite being in pain and warned her not to share footage of the attack, but the clip quickly went viral on Douyin – the Chinese-language version of TikTok.
They paid her less than $100 in compensation, she claimed.
Watch the video below.
Horrific moment giant fish snaps jaws round 22yo mermaid’s face
Chinese aquarium offers just $96 compensation to Russian performer Masha, demands non-disclosure agreement pic.twitter.com/CfJDTevcFv
— RT (@RT_com) January 29, 2025
Terrifying! Woman dressed as mermaid stuns crowd, Giant fish grabs her head, pic.twitter.com/34b0PyAnBg
— March (@MarchUnofficial) January 29, 2025
