This is the moment a wildlife enthusiast from Australia jumped into the sea to rescue a struggling turtle trapped in discarded fishing nets.

The clip, filmed in December 2018 in the Maldives, shows the moment Shaun Snelly and his girlfriend Rose were sailing with Voyages Maldives to the island of Baa Atoll when he noticed a struggling turtle and without hesitation jumped into the water from their safari boat to save it.

Point of view footage from Shaun and further footage captured by Rose from the boat show the successful rescue.

Shaun explained the ordeal to Newsflare: "I gathered my mask and fins and jumped in the ocean in a bid to save the turtle. When I got to the turtle, it was wrapped up in a fishing net and so exhausted that it didn't put up a fight when I grabbed it.

He continued: "I brought the turtle back to the boat where the crew managed to cut the tangled net free. Abdula, our captain, estimated that the turtle had been struggling like this for 4-5 days and the net had cut into its neck. As seen in the video the turtle swam free. It is however very sad imagining how much marine life get caught in ocean pollution and aren't as lucky as this little turtle."

Sailing to the Baa Atoll in the Maldives with Voyages Maldives, our captain Abdula noticed a struggling turtle. I gathered my mask and fins and jumped in the ocean in a bid to save the turtle. When I got to the turtle, it was wrapped up in a fishing net and so exhausted that it didn't put up a fight when I grabbed it. I brought the turtle back to the boat where the crew managed to cut the tangled net free. Abdula estimated that the turtle had been struggling like this for 4-5 days and the net had cut into its neck. As seen in the video the turtle swam free. It is however very sad imagining how much marine life get caught in ocean pollution and aren't as lucky as this little turtle.