Another So-Called "Doomsday Fish" Washes on Shore of Cabo San Lucas

A group of tourists got the surprise of a lifetime when they spotted a pair of Oarfish on the sandy beaches of Cabo San Lucas during their trip to Mexico.

The quick-thinking travelers grabbed their phones and began recording the encounter, capturing the once-in-a-lifetime moment. Of course, the rare sighting prompted the video to go viral, and now people are talking about the rise in Oarfish Sightings in Cabo San Lucas.

However, according to the women, the experience was especially surreal.

That's not only because of the fact that they had no idea what they were dealing with when they first encountered the Oarfish, but also because of the lore associated with these deep-sea dwellers that are only believed to leave their homes when something major is about to happen... most notably, major earthquakes or massive tsunamis.

But, just how real are the rumors that these fish are also harbingers of bad news for the planet? Keep reading to learn more about the fish and their meaning.

A woman recorded her surprise interaction with a pair of Oarfish while she was on vacation in Cabo San Lucas. According to her, she and her sister were walking along the shoreline when they saw something bright in the water ahead. What happened next was something out of a science fiction movie, according to the woman, who says the fish flopped right out of the ocean and onto the sand.

But before she had a chance to fully realize what was happening, another fish came out of the water as well.

The woman, whose story was then shared on YouTube alongside an interview, said that neither her nor her sister knew what the fish was. But, before they had time to Google it, her sister and a young girl started working to return the fish back to the water since they were both afraid they would die if they were left out of the ocean for too long.

Fortunately, the story has a happy ending, and the fish both swam away and didn't make another appearance on the shoreline.

According to Vice, there's no known reason as to why Oarfish sometimes rise from the depths to beach themselves. However, some experts say that it could have to do with the state of the fish's health. For example, if the fish is doing poorly, they may rise on the water currents because they aren't well enough to fight against them, explaining why these fish are so often dead when they are found.

Another theory has to do with climate change, and subtle changes in the ocean's temperatures.

While there's no known reason as to why these fish wash ashore, some say they only appear ahead of major disasters. According to Vice, the last handful of Oarfish to beach themselves were found ahead of massive earthquakes. This is why many call the marine creatures by their nickname of Doomsday Fish.

However, experts say that there's no real proof as to why the rare fish wash up from time to time. So, while it may be fun to speculate, nobody actually knows what's going on with the unique fish.