my guess is the sting ray flaild and its tail hit the dock and it just so happend to break it and send it flying
Now when we tell people we have stingrays after they say "You mean the things that killed Steve Irwin?" they will follow up with "How do you keep them from shooting you with there stingers?".![]()
That article is rediculous.
The chances of a pulled barb (only a small 4" one) slipping with enough force to fly 8 feet, then hit the boy at just the right angel to break the shirt and skin AND stick is slimmer than being barbed by a stingray one it's own. The way it's worded is pure trash. The reaction of the parents in the situation also shows they lack knowledge. Totally spun to snag readers and at the same time it's spreading the lies that makes our next generation dumb. "Nearly killing him".... what would they write about me!? What a load.
To get the barb THAT deep, you'd need to still be holding it and force it in. My guess (if it WAS that deep), kid was looking over the guy's shoulder and the barb was still pinched in the pliars as it pushed in.
I put the other idea to the test by throwing barbs (bigger than the one in question) against kitchen grade plastic wrap at close range. I couldn't even tear the wrap., let along put 3" of the barb through it. I'd love to see enough protest to have an article published about the lying family looking for attention. No better than the kid in the hot air balloon last year.