Craig David shows flying fish rescue attempt gone wrong in viral Maldives video

Craig David shared an unexpected moment from his holiday this week after rescuing a flying fish that leapt out of the water and landed at his feet while he was dining in the Maldives.

In a video posted to Instagram on Thursday, the Grammy-nominated singer is seen focusing his camera on the blue-winged fish as it wriggled on the ground beside him. “I’m literally having dinner and this fish comes flying out,” David said in the clip, before adding, “Okay, I was gonna grab you. Okay, now, putting you back in.”

As the camera returned to the water, David watched to see if the fish was unharmed. Seconds later, a larger fish emerged and ate the flying fish, capturing an ending that surprised both the singer and viewers.

“Oh my days. Never expected the ending tho,” David wrote in the caption. “What a divine message to receive- We can’t control lifes plan.”

The post quickly attracted attention, with followers reacting to the abrupt conclusion. “It came to you for safety and you sent it to it's death,” one commenter wrote. Another said, “‘Ooooooh dear’ why am I sad and laughing at the same time!”

The following morning, David addressed the response in a video shared to his Instagram Stories. “You have no idea how many comments I had on my phone when I woke up this morning from that flying fish situation,” he said. Reflecting on the moment, he added, “It’s like, you just can’t control what the play is. You try and do the right thing in the moment, what feels right, but you have no idea what the play was that was going on so, I got the life lesson.”

Later, David shared a second video showing a pastry display prepared by resort staff, featuring an edible replica of a blue flying fish and the words “Beauty in the ocean.”