This is the dramatic moment three endangered whale sharks were released after getting caught in a trawler's fishing net.

The enormous creatures were pulled up from the depths near Koh Rok Island in Krabi, southern Thailand, on June 28.

Nawin Manakijsomboon, captain of the ship Chokprapaporn,recorded the epic struggle to save the three whales which were tangled in the nets among hundreds of fish.

He said that since the coronavirus tourist ban, there have been increased sightings of whale sharks as they venture into the quieter seas.

The captain said: "We will not injure those whale sharks, anytime we see them, we will let them go. It is one of the ways we conserve the protected species."

Whale sharks are hunted illegally by some vessels - mainly for exporting to China - but Nawin said his crew always help stranded animals they are not supposed to catch.

Giant whale sharks can be found in warm waters worldwide including Australia, Mexico, Honduras, Hawaii and Thailand. They are classed as 'endangered' on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.