AsiaWireNobody wants to get stung by a stingray. But if you had to protect one part of your body from its barbed tail then it would quite possibly be your family jewels.
Unfortunately for one swimmer, a sunny day at the beach turned into a nightmare after a stingray snuck its tail into his shorts; clamping painfully onto his genitals.
The agonising incident was filmed on a beach in Sanya, in the Hainan province of South China, and shows the unlucky young man lying on the sand; his face contorted with sheer anguish. The offending stingray lies silently beside him.
The unnamed holidaymaker had reportedly been enjoying a paddle in the sea when he got too close for the stingray. He had ran back to shore while crying out in completely understandable torment.
The footage shows the stung man surrounded by crowds of horrified onlookers, including worried looking police officers who crouch beside him sympathetically to assess his injuries.
The scene then cuts to members of the Sanya fire service freeing the man from the ray’s gruesome grip; snipping away the barbs using their own tools.
The firemen had been advised they did not have the right equipment to disentangle the thorny tail from the man’s bits and bobs.
According to one of the resourceful firemen:
On the paramedic’s advice, we cut off the barbs with our tools.
After finally being freed the visibly relieved man sits up and moves over to a waiting stretcher.
One of the brave firemen can be seen holding the limp and motionless stingray, as onlookers jostle to capture the alarming scene on their phones.
Thankfully, the extremely unlucky tourist was reportedly able to stand up immediately after his eye-watering ordeal and paramedics took him to hospital for a checkup.
It has not been stated whether or not the holidaymaker was ever at risk of venom exposure, with the species of stingray having not been confirmed. According to eyewitnesses, the stingray is believed to have died on the beach.
According to Healthline:
When stung by a stingray, you’ll feel immediate, severe pain at the wound site. You need to begin treating the wound right away if it’s superficial.
If the barb has punctured your throat, neck, abdomen, or chest, or has pierced completely through part of your body, don’t attempt to remove it. Seek emergency medical attention immediately.
Otherwise, remain in the ocean and pull the barb out if you can. Allow the salt water to clean the wound while applying pressure over it to both slow the bleeding and encourage the venom to come out.
Try to clear out any additional debris you might see in the cut or puncture while you’re still in the water.
Pay close attention to how you feel in the sting’s aftermath. It’s possible to have a life-threatening allergic reaction to stingray venom, which requires emergency medical care. Expect the area to swell.
Hopefully this tourist makes a full recovery and isn’t put off having fun at the beach.
If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via [email protected]
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.