Stingrays plot the overthrow of the human race....more attacks reported...

*Katie* · 10-19-2006, 01:11 PM

LIGHTHOUSE POINT, Florida (AP) -- An 81-year-old man was in critical condition Thursday after a stingray flopped onto his boat and stung him, leaving a foot-long barb in his chest in an accident similar to the one that killed "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin.

"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."

Fatal stingray attacks like the one that killed Irwin last month at the Great Barrier Reef are rare, marine experts say. Rays reflexively deploy a sharp spine in their tails when frightened, but the venom coating the barb usually causes just a painful sting for humans.

James Bertakis of Lighthouse Point was on the water with his granddaughter and a friend Wednesday when a stingray flopped onto the boat and stung Bertakis. The women steered the boat to shore and called 911.

Doctors were able to remove the barb during surgeries Wednesday and Thursday by eventually pulling it through his heart and closing the wound, said Dr. Eugene Costantini at Broward General Medical Center.

He said Bertakis' case was different from Irwin's because the barb stayed in Bertakis' heart and was not pulled out. Videotape of Irwin's last moments shows him pulling the barb from his chest.

Bertakis was apparently trying to remove the three-foot-wide spotted eagle ray from the boat when he was stung, police Cmdr. Mike Oh said.

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

"Something like this is really, really extraordinarily rare," she said. "Even when they are under duress, they don't usually attack."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Are you KIDDING?? This thing actually jumped into the boat with this guy and stung him. Holy crap! I'm NEVER going to the beach again.

In other news.....after a less than spectacular end to my vacation...I really may never go to the beach again.

**ThirdMarioBro** · 10-19-2006, 01:33 PM

Well this is just fu*king insane. Scary too.

*gobo* · 10-19-2006, 01:41 PM

Someone needs to call Aquaman! Ray Fillet's too busy being dead and all...

*ZariusTwo* · 10-19-2006, 04:12 PM

Fortunaly, this time the goverment has been caught on tape...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E06cNv55jTs

**Jo Dawn** · 10-19-2006, 06:22 PM

Well, it's half right. It wasn't a stingray, persay, but a Spotted Eagle Ray. And they DO leap up out of the water, but usually don't attack. It was afraid. The boat just happened to be in the way, it seems.

Still, very, um... bizarre. o.O

*Raph's Girl* · 10-20-2006, 12:35 AM

Well.. altho Man Ray is dead.... the Marvel hero, Stingray, is still about. He's an Avenger (or a former Avenger) too.

OA · 10-20-2006, 05:39 PM

Man this is nuts....but it makes sense that somthing as bizarre and rare as a stingray attack would continue to take place...i mean, don't these things happens in threes...?

Ra · 10-20-2006, 06:55 PM

This is just crazy *shakes head* It's a, what, one in a million chance of this happening, yet it has happened twice in two months? That's it! Where's Aquaman? Heck, where's Aqualad?! We need someone to tell these rays that attempting to kill people doesn't do anything good for their reputation.

*Katie* · 10-21-2006, 01:43 PM

I think it's one of the signs of the Apocolypse....Sea life revolting

you should have seen the size of the jellyfish that wrapped itself around me in an attempt to do a python impression

I have welts all around my back and stomach and legs and....

dang...I may never have kids

**Barkworm** · 10-21-2006, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katie

dang...I may never have kids

WHAT??
I'm so sorry. Damn, that's horrible.

OA · 10-21-2006, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katie

I think it's one of the signs of the Apocolypse....Sea life revolting

Sheesh...you may be right...but then again, I don't really remember sea life revolting being one of the signs of the apocolypse...

10-19-2006, 01:11 PM	#1
Katie Just...way too serious. Join Date: May 2005 Location: purgatory Posts: 3,519	Stingrays plot the overthrow of the human race....more attacks reported... LIGHTHOUSE POINT, Florida (AP) -- An 81-year-old man was in critical condition Thursday after a stingray flopped onto his boat and stung him, leaving a foot-long barb in his chest in an accident similar to the one that killed "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin. "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." Fatal stingray attacks like the one that killed Irwin last month at the Great Barrier Reef are rare, marine experts say. Rays reflexively deploy a sharp spine in their tails when frightened, but the venom coating the barb usually causes just a painful sting for humans. James Bertakis of Lighthouse Point was on the water with his granddaughter and a friend Wednesday when a stingray flopped onto the boat and stung Bertakis. The women steered the boat to shore and called 911. Doctors were able to remove the barb during surgeries Wednesday and Thursday by eventually pulling it through his heart and closing the wound, said Dr. Eugene Costantini at Broward General Medical Center. He said Bertakis' case was different from Irwin's because the barb stayed in Bertakis' heart and was not pulled out. Videotape of Irwin's last moments shows him pulling the barb from his chest. Bertakis was apparently trying to remove the three-foot-wide spotted eagle ray from the boat when he was stung, police Cmdr. Mike Oh said. Ellen Pikitch, a professor of marine biology and fisheries at the University of Miami, who has been studying stingrays for decades, said they are generally docile. "Something like this is really, really extraordinarily rare," she said. "Even when they are under duress, they don't usually attack." ~~~~~~~~~~~ Are you KIDDING?? This thing actually jumped into the boat with this guy and stung him. Holy crap! I'm NEVER going to the beach again. In other news.....after a less than spectacular end to my vacation...I really may never go to the beach again. __________________ THE WORLD IS JUST AWESOME

10-19-2006, 01:33 PM	#2
ThirdMarioBro Tea Time! Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 8,905	Well this is just fu*king insane. Scary too. __________________

10-19-2006, 01:41 PM	#3
gobo Wacky Action Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: on Earth Posts: 12,784	Someone needs to call Aquaman! Ray Fillet's too busy being dead and all... __________________ Live and let live... or go to hell.

10-19-2006, 04:12 PM	#4
ZariusTwo Overlord Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Britain, DINO THUNDER...POWER UP! Posts: 22,503	Fortunaly, this time the goverment has been caught on tape... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E06cNv55jTs __________________ Spider-Man: The Rescue Spider-Man: The Galloping Cat Spider-Man: Scarlet Mirror Doctor Who: Child of the Daleks

10-19-2006, 06:22 PM	#5
Jo Dawn Inactive Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Authority On All Things Don Posts: 5,190	Well, it's half right. It wasn't a stingray, persay, but a Spotted Eagle Ray. And they DO leap up out of the water, but usually don't attack. It was afraid. The boat just happened to be in the way, it seems. Still, very, um... bizarre. o.O __________________

10-20-2006, 12:35 AM	#6
Raph's Girl Dierna Soul, Reporter Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Jakku Posts: 10,831	Well.. altho Man Ray is dead.... the Marvel hero, Stingray, is still about. He's an Avenger (or a former Avenger) too. __________________

10-20-2006, 05:39 PM	#7
OA Scatter the nuns!! Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 3,981	Man this is nuts....but it makes sense that somthing as bizarre and rare as a stingray attack would continue to take place...i mean, don't these things happens in threes...? __________________

10-20-2006, 06:55 PM	#8
Ra It's my desire? Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: In your pants. Posts: 4,441	This is just crazy shakes head It's a, what, one in a million chance of this happening, yet it has happened twice in two months? That's it! Where's Aquaman? Heck, where's Aqualad?! We need someone to tell these rays that attempting to kill people doesn't do anything good for their reputation. __________________ "So. The whole lot of you against little old me? How retarded."

10-21-2006, 01:43 PM	#9
Katie Just...way too serious. Join Date: May 2005 Location: purgatory Posts: 3,519	I think it's one of the signs of the Apocolypse....Sea life revolting you should have seen the size of the jellyfish that wrapped itself around me in an attempt to do a python impression I have welts all around my back and stomach and legs and.... dang...I may never have kids __________________ THE WORLD IS JUST AWESOME