A “mermaid” nearly drowned in an aquarium after her tail got stuck on some coral.
The incident, which happened on Nov 25 at the Randburg Shopping Mall in South Africa, was captured on video and posted to TikTok. The videos, which have been widely shared, have garnered more than three million views.
In a two-minute long clip by Storyful Viral, the mermaid, a performer at the mall’s aquarium, starts her act by waving and blowing kisses to the crowd. She later swims away before realising her “tail” had snagged on some coral.
Struggling, she eventually freed herself and swims to the surface after ditching her costume. Meanwhile, screams can be heard from worried onlookers.
The mermaid, Ms Gabriela Green-Thompson Kay, who also goes by her TikTok handle nokukhanya.the_mermaid, also shared a video of the incident that has since garnered 4.2 million views and 142,000 likes.
In the 30-second clip, the South African mermaid said she was running out of breath and decided to use her hands to quickly release her legs from her costume.
“Here I am, letting the people know that I am safe and sound. Remember, safety first,” she said.
Mermaiding, once a niche subculture, is becoming a trend, with mermaid conventions, festivals and competitions popping up in different parts of the world.
Local mermaids The Straits Times spoke to said safety precautions including having safety divers and pre-arranged hand signals are important when performing in aquariums.
Ms Insyirah Moidu, 28, said the technique Ms Green-Thompson Kay used to escape was called tail evacuation, which involves quickly getting out of the tail and fins.
Ms Insyirah, who is also known by her mermaid name Merliah, said performers commonly use two types of costumes – fabric tails and silicone tails, but feels the former are safer.
“I do not perform with silicone tails for safety reasons because there is no quick release system for that. Silicone tails are (like) a second skin, so it takes some time to get out of,” she said.
Ms Cara Neo, better known by her mermaid name, Syrena, said aquarium and tank performances are among the most challenging, and that the right training was crucial.
“Just because someone can swim, has worn a mermaid tail, or claims they have a certification, does not mean they’re performance-safe,” said Ms Neo, who has been performing in aquariums and tanks for about 11 years.
Mermaids should rehearse their routine extensively, and also have a “direct line of communication” during the performance with someone who can immediately tell if they are in trouble, she said.
“Lastly, I listen to my body. If I need to adapt a move, I’ll adapt it. When you’re a seasoned professional, you have the tools to be able to modify parts of a performance if you have to, without the audience realising it,” she said.
