Footage shows a sea turtle being cut free and swimming back into the ocean after getting entangled in abandoned fishing gear off the coast of Gan in the Maldives.

The filmer later wrote online: "This Olive Ridley is one of two turtles found entangled in ghost gear (abandoned fishing gear).

"The turtle is an open ocean, wandering species that may have used this floating debris as a form of shelter and food."

"Unfortunately during foraging or resting on top of the ghost gear raft the turtle back flipper became entangled," he continued.

"The rescuers David Balson and Martin Stelfox quickly got to work to release the turtle and it was eventually freed and swam away into the blue."

This Olive Ridley is one of two turtles found entangled in ghost gear (abandoned fishing gear). The turtle is an open ocean, wandering species that may have used this floating debris as a form of shelter and food. Unfortunately during foraging or resting on top of the ghost gear raft the turtle back flipper became entangled. The rescuers David Balson and Martin Stelfox quickly got to work to release the turtle. The turtle was eventually freed and it swam away into the blue.

Every year it is estimated that around 640, 000 tons of ghost gear are lost globally. Ghost gear is responsible for killing thousands of animals each year and many go unnoticed for many months, the lucky ones get found but many do not. This video was shot as an awareness campaign to show the devastating destruction of ghost gear and marine debris