http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/20/eagleray/index.html

" MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- A woman on a boat died after a spotted eagle ray leaped from the water off the Florida Keys Thursday and struck her, officials said.

The force of the blow pushed the woman backward and she died when she hit her head on the boat deck, officials said.

"It's just as freakish of an accident as I have heard," said Jorge Pino of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "The chances of this occurring are so remote that most of us are completely astonished that this happened."

The commission later identified the woman as Judy Kay Zagorski, 57, of Pigeon, Michigan.

The woman was seated or standing in the front of the boat as her husband piloted the vessel at about 25 mph out of a channel, Pino said. "The ray just actually popped up in front of the vessel," he said. "The father had not even a second to react. It was too late. It happened instantly and the woman fell backwards and, unfortunately, died as a result of the collision."

The accident happened off the coast of Marathon Key, in the Florida Keys about an hour's drive south of Miami. The woman, who was with her husband and children, was taken to the Mariner Hospital in Tavernier, where she was pronounced dead.

Pino said he had seen rays leap into the air, but added, "it's very rare for them to collide with objects."

The spotted-eagle ray weighed about 75 to 80 pounds and had a six-foot wingspan, said Pino.

Florida Fish and Wildlife said eagle rays "are not an aggressive species, but they do tend to leap from the water." Spotted eagle rays can have a wingspan of up to 10 feet and can weigh 500 pounds, it said. "

Calling Mattshark!

Here's a picture of the assailant.

Sad about the lady. That's quite the freak accident.

Wow, that is some big eagle ray...That poor lady and her family having to witness this....Sad........

How bizarre, second death I've heard by Stingray!

The poor animals are going to have to get some public relation specialists.

Just trying to fly......

I agree that would be horrible to witness, and such a freak thing too! I bet the eagle ray was a bit stunned too, as i don't believe it was his intent to jump up and attack her like that at all! It just goes to show you anything can happen, and the most benign momment can turn deadly! And i still think their beautiful, graceful creatures!

So that's three people that has had death by sting ray.

._o egads..

I'm able to name two. A Florida man suffered a similar wound as Irwin, yet survived. I can provide a link, if requested.

Might I ask your three (or third)? Thank you.

er.. thought the dude in florida died..

I heard that today in work, my boss was talking about it because we catch a few spotted eagle rays and I'm going to Marathon tomorrow.


No, he survived.
People have died from stingray stings before, but it is very rare (all 3 species involved in recent incidents have been very different species as well). Ocelot river rays in the Amazon have a much stronger venom than many other stingrays and has been known to kill. Stingray venom is also dangerous if it penetrates into a vital organ.

Thank you, oceanic zoologist. I'd never heard of the Amazonian species, before.

Edit: Mattshark is one of several reasons I come to this forum. He provides excellent marine (and other) science. I take his criticism of my belief bigfoot might exist personally. I try my best to answer his logical questions.

Still, there's this nether-land that still exists. I cherish that uncertainty. Some dread it.

Very very unfortunate about the woman, but I just have to say that I would LOVE to see a 6-foot stingray "fly" out of the water. That would be awesome.

oooh.. last I heard was he had died. It's good to know he didn't. *nods*

Spend two hours in Florida bay.

Agreed, his is a case that shows how careful you have to be to pick up a wild animal of any, with out knowledge of how dangerous rays can be unfortunate accidents like this can happen.

thats pretty weird lol.

This kinda seemed "off" to me ya know? Is tragic but just sounds kind of wierd...

Why? Eagle rays jump all the time. I have seen it many times. They are also pretty large animals.

I know... It just didnt sit right with me. Cant explain it...

There is absolutely nothing abnormal about the rays behaviour, it is merely bad luck it hit the woman. Such things can happen. A woman died of a heart attack after a dolphin accidentally jumped on her while on her boat. Nothing odd at all when you understand the animals involved.

Didnt claim there was. Ive seen rays jump too. It is the fact there is pureley bad luck.

Bad luck happens, nothing odd about that either.

Dammit I cave in lol... but Who witnessed the whole thing? the family or just one person?

Family according to the article.

REALLY?
I'm a scuba diver. I've seen Eagle Rays(never as far north as Florida though, at least in the Atlantic/Carribean) but I've never heard of them flying out of the water!

If anyone thinks Eagle Rays are big, wait until you see a Manta.


Imagine THAT jumping out of the water.
Mantas tend to be more passive then smaller rays though, at least from what I've heard.

Very sad!

Yep, see them commonly in Sarasota bay and I have seen them in Florida bay too.

Sadly never seen a manta, would love to though.

lulz

Spend two hours in Ormond-By-The-Sea and you can see 200-300 lb manta rays jumping out of the surf. Beautiful creatures. They're quite popular there as they bring in big cobia.

I've read several different accounts of this report and the number of witnesses was always a bit sketchy. It would have been had to believe if it was just a single witness as in all other strange occurences. But things like this you just can't make up.

The Article states she was with family. But it doesn't say who witnessed it.

One would presume her family.