VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach resident Michael Strother said it's a catch he never expected.
On the fourth of July, while fishing for Cobia, he accidentally hooked an injured sea turtle. He pulled it ashore and immediately notified the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Program.
Officials there believe a boat hit the turtle.
"Fishing is my favorite hobby. I love it. It's very tranquil, it's peaceful, it's relaxing. I love it," Strother said. "I was just out fishing, enjoying the day and then next thing I know one of my bigger poles on the line just dipped. I went to grab it and bring it back. I realized a block away it was just a massive turtle. The pier went crazy, everybody was cheering, but when we got him closer I noticed the shell was a little bit cracked, so that's when we had to rescue him."
A team from the Stranding Response Program said a boat hit the turtle and unfortunately, it's a common injury.
Although the damage on the shell is obvious, they didn't know the extent of the damage underneath.
Sentara hospital radiologists gave the turtle an MRI on Sunday, to see if it suffered any internal injuries.
With the results from the MRI, members of the Stranding Response program say they're better able to rehabilitate the animal and release it back into the ocean.
Strother said he's glad the turtle is getting the help it needs.
"We had to [alert the Stranding Response Program] because we wanted to rescue it as quickly as possible, we didn't want to stress it out," Strother said. "I would love to know the whole process of it because it's a was a beautiful turtle. It was huge."