{
  "id": 3693480,
  "title": "Man claims piranha attack left him missing piece of finger after viral video sparked fake claims",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/man-claims-piranha-attack-left-him-missing-piece-of-finger-after",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-27T07:26:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times - World News",
    "slug": "hindustan-times-world-news",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/trending/man-claims-piranha-attack-left-him-missing-piece-of-finger-after-viral-video-sparked-fake-claims-101787814990385.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Leandro Aponte, a man from Bellavista, posted a video on Facebook on August 25, claiming that it captures an attack by piranhas on his finger. The video, which showed a man attempting to remove fish from his body, quickly went viral, sparking debates about its authenticity.\n\nSome viewers expressed skepticism, arguing that the piranhas were fake or uncharacteristically clumsy. Aponte, however, maintained that the incident was real and had left him with a piece of his finger missing. The video's caption, translated from Spanish, read, \"How could I forget the time piranhas almost took my finger off in Bellavista? 'That's the trauma I was left with.\"\n\nAs the video gained traction, more comments emerged, with some viewers claiming the piranhas were acting and others praising the fishing style depicted. Despite the controversy, Aponte stood by his account, asserting that the video showed a genuine encounter. The authenticity of the footage remains unverified, pending a response from Aponte himself.",
  "summary": "Man defends viral piranha video after viewers brand it fake, claiming the attack severed part of his finger.",
  "key_points": [
    "Man Leandro Aponte claims piranha attack left him missing finger piece",
    "Viral Facebook video sparked debates on authenticity",
    "Aponte maintains incident was real despite skepticism"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}