This is the moment six endangered sunfish were released back into the sea after getting caught in a trawler's net.

Rut Nattaperawat and along with other 40 fishermen were anchored in the middle of the Andaman sea in Phuket, Thailand last Wednesday (August 28) night.

They were pulling the surrounding net up to the vessel when they noticed several rare ocean sunfish, also known as "Mola Mola" fish, were seen wriggling inside.

Footage from the early hours of Thursday (August 29) morning shows how the group of fishermen were collecting the unwanted fish before tossing them back into the sea.

Fisherman Rut said they often unintentionally caught other marine creatures but they never found rare sunfish before.

He said: ''We sometimes caught sea turtles, whale sharks, or other strange fish species. I didn't know ocean sunfish were living around here until we found them stuck in the net.

''I was told to always release by-catch back to the ocean and never torture them or let them died on board, so they could live on and reproduce.''

This is the moment six endangered sunfish were released back into the sea after getting caught in a trawler's net.

Rut Nattaperawat and along with other 40 fishermen were anchored in the middle of the Andaman sea in Phuket, Thailand last Wednesday (28/08) night.

They were pulling the surrounding net up to the vessel when they noticed several rare ocean sunfish, also known as mola mola fish,were seen wriggling inside.

Footage from the early hours of Thursday (29/08) morning shows how the group of fishermen were collecting the unwanted fish before tossing them back into the sea.

Fisherman Rut said they often unintentionally caught other marine creatures but they never found rare sunfish before.

He said: ''We sometimes caught sea turtles, whale sharks, or other strange fish species. I didn't know ocean sunfish were living around here until we found them stuck in the net.

''I was told to always release by-catch back to the ocean and never torture them or let them died on board, so they could live on and reproduce.''

Ocean sunfish, also called Mola Mola, are commonly found in tropical oceans. Their population is now considered vulnerable as they are frequently snagged in fishing nets and are killed by marine trash.