A person was left with a gap in his face after a virtually foot-long fish impaled him with its beak.

Steven Kezic was browsing in Indonesian waters across the Mentawai Islands, Sumatra when a 30cm lengthy garfish launched itself from the ocean and embedded itself in his nostril.

He was almost left blind because the pointed appendage handed by his nasal cartilage and narrowly missed his eye.

Speaking to 9News, Mr Kezic, from Perth, Australia, stated he initially suspected his pals had been taking part in a trick on him.

He stated he thought they had been flinging seaweed at him and "having a prank", however shortly realised they had been staring intently at one thing on his face.

The teacher of the browsing college stated he had "better stop" as there was a "fish in your face".

The interplay prompted him to look down at his nostril, and he observed blood dripping from his face.

He stated: "I felt the slap of the fish, and I could see a little bit through my nose.

"It was realistically no ache on the time, I felt the ache after I was on the boat trip, and I did not really feel properly after that."

Mr Kezic said he felt "actually fortunate" as he was within inches of losing his eyesight. He said if the fish was "a fraction greater" its beak "would have taken my eyes out".

Fortunately for the carpenter, one of his fellow learners, Kyle Kophamel, was a trained doctor.

Mr Kophamel quickly improvised a surgical table on dry land and removed the beak, which had broken off the fish after it punctured his nose.

He operated for 45 minutes and stitched up Mr Kezic's face, finding it had clearly passed through the cartilage and skin.

Speaking to Perth Now, he said: "I’ve all the time had a way of humour, so I can’t assist however not make a joke about it now! But I used to be extremely fortunate for Kyle. He saved me from a world of bother."