Stingray leaps into boat, stabs man in chest

[The TRUST]

Stingray leaps into boat, stabs man in chest

POSTED: 10:33 a.m. EDT, October 19, 2006


MIAMI, Florida (Reuters) -- A leaping stingray stabbed an 81-year-old Florida boater in the chest, authorities said Wednesday, leaving its poisonous stinger lodged close to his heart in an incident recalling the one that killed Australian TV naturalist Steve Irwin last month.

Fire Department officials in Lighthouse Point, about 30 miles north of Miami, said James Bertakis was in a small recreational boat with two grandchildren Tuesday when the spotted eagle ray leaped aboard and struck him.

"It's just a real freak thing," Lt. Mike Sullivan told Reuters, saying the incident occurred on Florida's Intracoastal Waterway, where stingrays are rarely seen leaping in the air.

"For an 81-year-old man he's in really good shape," Sullivan added, saying Bertakis was expected to make a full recovery after surgery at a local hospital to have the stinger removed from his chest.

"Crocodile Hunter" Irwin, 44, died when a stingray's stinger punctured his heart off Australia's north coast last month. It was one of only a handful of stingray fatalities on record.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/10/19/stingray.reut/index.html

 

[Dr Joe]

News just said the spotted ray jumped in the boat and when he tried to throw it back it stabbed him...

The really good comment was from a marine biologist who said "This is an extremely rare case"...Do Ya Think?!?

(The word has gotten around the ray community so look out; couple of years ago it was flying barracuda...)

Dr Joe

.

 

[Deathcurl]

Wasn't there something earlier in the year about a marlin leaping out and impaling someone? I think the fish are starting to fight back, haha.

 

[rayman45]

rebel is on...

 

[davo]

News just said the spotted ray jumped in the boat and when he tried to throw it back it stabbed him...

The really good comment was from a marine biologist who said "This is an extremely rare case"...Do Ya Think?!?

(The word has gotten around the ray community so look out; couple of years ago it was flying barracuda...)

Dr Joe

.

i wouldnt be suprised if thats what happened

 

[JD7.62]

My family has a fishing boat down in Pensacola, Florida and my dad went down there a couple weeks ago and he said he saw a manta ray with a wingspan of at least 8 feet (he said it was as wide as the back of the boat) jump out of the water very close to the boat!

 

[ozz465]

The fish rebellion has begun...

 

[Dr Joe]

My family has a fishing boat down in Pensacola, Florida and my dad went down there a couple weeks ago and he said he saw a manta ray with a wingspan of at least 8 feet (he said it was as wide as the back of the boat) jump out of the water very close to the boat!

Get your Dad a video camera...NOW!

 

[JuanTamad]

Ouch!

Watch out for those rays in your tanks.

 

[JCA]

as a matter of fact when we were down in mexico for spring break we saw a manta ray jump that had to be at least the size of the one you are talking about