This is the harrowing moment a critically endangered turtle was found dead – tangled in a discarded fishing net.

Footage shows the tragic sea creature had its head stuck in the net while its body drifted upwards off the coast of Phuket, southern Thailand, on December 22.

Shocked scuba diver Rungrot Bunmamon saw the stricken Hawksbill sea turtle while he was on a trip with friends.

The reptile’s image was reflected on the clear waters so they went to have a look, but when they were underwater they found the heartbreaking scene.

The diver went deeper and found the net attached to the rocks on the seabed. The dead sea turtle was motionless with its head tangled in the plastic lacework.

Rungrot said: 'This is the second sea turtle we found dead in the same condition this month. It’s very sad. I hope everybody cared more for the ocean.'
One of the biggest threats to sea turtles is being accidentally caught and killed in discarded fishing nets.

Trapped in a net, the turtle was dragged down the water without access to the surface to breathe, causing them to drown.

The hawksbill sea turtle is classed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species