Showbiz

Mermaid performer talks about viral moment she was attacked by giant fish: I was immediately taken to hospital

TiranaPost
2025-02-02 09:21:23 TiranaPost

Mermaid performer talks about viral moment she was attacked by giant fish: I was

The viral mermaid performer who was attacked by a giant fish at an aquarium in China has denied rumours she was forced to return to work after the incident - clarifying that she was immediately taken to hospital.

Mariia Zelenina – a 22-year-old Russian who lives in China and works at the Xishuangbanna Primitive Forest Park – spoke to People about the moment she almost became fish food, revealing more details about the incident.

She says she was completely shocked when a Chinese shark approached her at the end of her solo performance and swallowed her head. Zelenina says: “I didn’t understand what was happening, I started pushing it and trying to escape from its mouth. When I surfaced, I realized I didn’t have my glasses on.”

After the incident, many have speculated about what happened – some claiming that her managers in China tried to force her to return to work or silence her. But Zelenina says that’s not true; they made sure she got immediate medical attention. Mariia admits that her supervisors didn’t want the news to spread – it’s embarrassing for any aquarium.

Currently, she won't be returning to the water, as she still has facial injuries and shouldn't dive in. However, she's not afraid to return to work, as she said that such situations should be handled with humor - and that she's not afraid of fish.

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