was found close to drowning when it became tangled in a discarded fishing rope.

Fishermen David Soares and Jeff Shaw were out with their boat the Eureka yesterday morning when they came across the 50-pound Hawk's Bill turtle struggling to keep its head above the water.

The female turtle was found about half a mile off Daniel's Head, in Somerset, while the men were taking a group of business people on a fishing excursion.

Thankfully, they were just in time to pull her on board and free her from the rope, but with a little more care, the near fatal incident might not have happened at all.

Mr. Soares said: "We have seen things like this happen before. It is a shame because it need not have happened at all if the rope had not been there.

"There was a big pile of rope and, in the middle of it, there she was. She was completely exhausted and in pretty bad shape. Some of the rope had cut through to her flesh.'' The men brought the adult turtle back to shore and took her to the Bermuda Aquarium, where she was being cared for last night. Staff there hoped she would be well enough to be released back into the ocean soon.

But Scott Kitson, President of Keep Bermuda Beautiful, said it was an example of what the environmental group was trying to prevent.

He said: "We live in a very special place in the middle of the ocean and our habits and disposal of items into the ocean has really negative affects on marine life. I hope people understand the gravity of the situation and keep it in mind when they need to dispose of something, instead of throwing it overboard. The turtle could have died.''