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Posted: **Fri Oct 20, 2006 9:05 am**

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/10/19/sti...eut/index.html

Stingray leaps into boat, stabs man in chest
POSTED: 10:33 a.m. EDT, October 19, 2006
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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. (Watch to see the speckled creature's face, stringy tail and what's happened to the victim-- 1:25)

"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.

Now before these creatures take over the world, Id like to say that
I for one welcome our stingray overlords...

Just joking.

Posted: **Fri Oct 20, 2006 9:27 am**

Wow... it's a bloody stingray revolt. :shock:

Posted: **Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:53 am**

Someone pissed those things off seriously.

Posted: **Fri Oct 20, 2006 11:13 am**

Dang.

I wonder if people in Florida will go hunt them down and kill them like they did in Australia.

Posted: **Fri Oct 20, 2006 11:27 am**

Sounds like a copy-cat stingray to me. It just is trying for its 15 minutes of fame.

Posted: **Fri Oct 20, 2006 12:35 pm**

Wow, You never hear of this ever, Now two in just the past couple of months, Unreal

Posted: **Fri Oct 20, 2006 7:18 pm**

Is this an appetizer for the 9000 posts celebration?

Just wondering. :wink:

Posted: **Fri Oct 20, 2006 7:22 pm**

JSPB22 wrote:Sounds like a copy-cat stingray to me. It just is trying for its 15 minutes of fame.