Video captures Thai divers' effort to free distressed whale shark

A diver tries to cut a rope from the tail of a whale shark near Koh Tao Island, Thailand June 13, 2020, in this still image obtained from a social media video. Sarakorn Pokaprakarn/via REUTERS

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Divers in Thailand have captured dramatic footage of their efforts to free a huge whale shark in distress from a piece of nylon rope caught on its tail.

A dive group spotted the shark off the island of Koh Tao on Saturday and tried unsuccessfully with a small knife to remove the rope, which had cut into the tail, leaving a wound. It was not known how the whale became tangled in the rope.