Mysterious deep-sea ‘Doomsday Fish,’ known as a sign of coming disaster, washes ashore in Mexico

A rare live oarfish washed ashore on a Mexican beach, stirring curiosity and superstition. Known as the "doomsday fish," this deep-sea creature is often linked to natural disasters. The sighting took place on 9 February at Playa El Quemado in Baja California Sur.

Beachgoer Attempts to Help Stranded Oarfish
Robert Hayes, a visitor at the beach, saw the oarfish struggling in shallow waters. Speaking to Storyful, he described the unusual encounter. “The fish swam straight at us, lifting its head above water,” he told AccuWeather. Hayes and others tried guiding it back to sea multiple times, but it kept returning.

Oarfish and Their Doomsday Reputation
Oarfish have long been considered harbingers of disasters. Ocean Conservancy states that they are believed to signal earthquakes or destruction. This belief, rooted in Japanese folklore, gained traction in 2011 when 20 oarfish appeared before a major earthquake in Japan. In November 2024, an oarfish was spotted on Grandview Beach, California. A month later, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck, triggering tsunami warnings.

While scientists say these connections are coincidental, sightings of oarfish continue to spark fear and fascination worldwide.