Thursday, July 15th, 2010
A 14-YEAR-old girl shows needed 51 stitches after a 4ft-long barracuda leapt out of the ocean and clamped on to her arm.
According to the report in The Sun, Koral Wira was sitting on her family’s yacht near Venice, Florida when the fish “flew across the boat like a bullet” and fastened its teeth onto her arm.
Koral’s dad Rob had been fishing and the barracuda was attracted by the bait. He said: “The fish took my shark bait but then jumped out of the water, right at my daughter. It’s the craziest thing that’s ever happened in my life.”
After letting go of Koral’s arm, the fish fell on its side to the floor, where Rob killed it by stabbing it with a fillet knife.
[source + photos]
Monday, November 30th, 2009
A man has been bitten by a barracuda while spearfishing in north Queensland, Australia.
The 40-year-old was swimming in waters off Bowen early on Saturday morning when he was bitten on the leg by the fish.
He was taken to the hospital for treatment for a serious bite.
[source]
Thursday, March 13th, 2008
Yeouch! While on a school group outing Wednesday at Curry Hammock State Park, FL, a 12-year-old boy was bitten on his inner thigh by a barracuda. He was rushed to a nearby Hospital for treatment for the five-inch-long gash the cuda left him with.
[source]
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008
Keyboardist Iain Gordon of dub act Fat Freddys Drop was attacked by a barracuda on Friday while fishing in knee deep water just off Waikanae beach north of Wellington, NZ.
The cuda caused some tendon and nerve damage when it bit his arm his arm, requiring plastic surgery.
But don’t worry Fat Freddy fans… Iain’s expected to recover in time for the group’s next concert in February.
[source]
Monday, July 25th, 2005
A diver is in critical condition Friday after he was attacked by a large fish while spearfishing off windward Oahu Thursday night. The victim, Tonga “Piu” Loumoli, and his diving partner believe that “large fish” was a barracuda. If so, this would be an extremely rare case of an attack by a great barracuda in Hawaii.
Barracudas are common in Hawaiian waters, but attacks on humans are rare. Their sharp teeth allow them to prey on fish of all sizes. “They feed on fish quite large by cutting them in two pieces with a dart-like dash and then leisurely returning to pick up the two halves.”
It’s somewhat skeptical if a barracuda is to blame… “Barracudas have very long pointed snouts so you wouldn’t have a hemispherical bite like a shark but you’d have a narrower bite or a slash.”
Rivera’s recollection of his friend’s wound might match that description: “Yeah, maybe about a two inch hole right straight inside of him.”
