Drone video captures rare swordfish sighted off La Jolla coastline

A rare sight off the San Diego coast is getting attention after a local photographer captured drone video of a swordfish swimming unusually close to the beach.

The footage, taken last weekend, shows what the photographer Kenric Martinez identified as a broadbill swordfish moving through the water near shore.

Swordfish are common in deeper waters off the coast, but sightings this close to the beach are uncommon.

“A rare sight this close to shore, especially in the colder months,” said Scripps Institution of Oceanography ichthyologist Ben Frable, who manages their vertebrates collection.

The video offers a unique look at the powerful fish in its natural habitat and highlights how unpredictable ocean wildlife encounters can be along the Southern California coastline.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.