Terrified children flee as massive tuna causes mayhem on busy beach

Terrified children ran screaming "shark" as a massive tuna fish chased them from the water in Malta while thrashing its powerful tail.

The images were filmed on Mellieha beach, a popular tourist hotspot in Ghadira Bay, on June 21 – the first day of summer.

The impressive footage shows the tuna splashing around on its side as it thrusts its tail fin, causing the children to run down a floating pier towards the shore.

One child can be heard shouting "oh my god!" as the large fish makes its way towards them – with onlookers mistakenly thinking its a shark.

A lifeguard can be heard blowing a whistle, apparently ordering people to get out of the water as quickly as possible.

But adults then realise what it is and one can be heard shouting "tuna!" in a bid to reassure the terrified kids.

The video then shows the large tuna fish swimming away as the footage ends, still thrashing wildly and splashing water.

A second piece of footage shows tourists pulling the tuna from the water after it washed up near the shore as a large crowd looked on in amazement.

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They were able to pull it to shore after having apparently wrapped a piece of netting around its tail fin.

It was reported dead a short while later.

It is currently unclear where the fish came from, with local media speculating that it might have escaped from a nearby fish farm.

- CEN/Australscope

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