2nd victim of Stingray barb to the chest

[pbs911]

So I guess it is a two in a million chance. . .

Fla stingray victim in critical condition

LIGHTHOUSE POINT, Fla. -- A man was in critical condition this morning, a day after a stingray jumped onto his boat and stabbed him in the chest, leaving a foot-long barb stuck in him, authorities said.

James Bertakis, 81, of Lighthouse Point in South Florida near Fort Lauderdale, was boating with his grown granddaughter and her friend Wednesday afternoon when the rare attack occurred. The woman were able to steer the boat back to Bertakis' home where they called authorities.

"It was a freak accident," said Lighthouse Point acting fire Chief David Donzella. "It's very odd that the thing jumped out of the water and stung him. We still can't believe it."

Bertakis was conscious when paramedics arrived. Surgeons were able to remove some of the barb, but were not able to locate the rest and feared it may have migrated. Bertakis suffered a closed chest wound, collapsed lung and may have to undergo open-heart surgery, rescue officials said.

The roughly 5-foot wide, 30 pound stingray died on the boat, firefighters said. They kept it in a plastic bag and on ice until Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Officers picked it up, Sullivan said.

Ellen Pikitch, a professor of marine biology and fisheries at the University of Miami, who has been studying stingrays for decades, said the fish are generally docile creatures.

"Something like this is really, really extraordinarily rare," she said. "I've never heard any reports of a stingray attacking a person. Even when they are under duress, they don't usually attack."

"Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, 44, died Sept. 4 when a stingray's barb pierced his chest while he filmed a TV show on the Great Barrier Reef.

[Jims5543]

I do not think it attacked the boater. I think it jumped out of the water maybe from being startled and happened to hit the man in the chest. Totaly a freak accident, moreso than Irwins.

[HardDrive]

Clearly Bush's fault.

[dhoward]

Insurgent stingrays.
Next, dockside sea cucumbers..
What have we gotten ourselves into?

[cashflyer]

Originally posted by Jim Cesiro
Totaly a freak accident, moreso than Irwins.

I think not. This is an uprising that must be dealt with.
Conspiracy against fishers/divers

[Porsche-O-Phile]

We should have never antagonized them without a proper exit strategy. . .

[Moneyguy1]

Agreed. They are merely defending their ocean habitat against those they consider invaders and occupiers.

[cashflyer]

Would you say that this has anything to do with the valuable kelp resources in their region?

[Moneyguy1]

Not only the kelp but the hydrides. They know they can do what OPEC is doing, and control the world's energy resources.

[svandamme]

just sold a script to a Hollywood producer
"Stingray Armageddon"

i'm rich , biiatch !