Tourist takes a dip at China beach, gets stung in crotch by stingray

It's summertime in China and many people are out swimming to beat the heat.

A tourist's dip in the sea at resort island Sanya on Sept 1 ended up with him sprawling on the sand in pain.

In a video clip of the incident, the man was seen being surrounded by worried beachgoers who called for help.

He had been stung in the genitals by a stingray's spine.

It has jagged edges, a sharp point, and may produce venom that can kill humans.

Such an injury can be fatal, depending on where the victim is stung.

Australian TV host Steve Irwin was killed when his heart was pierced by a stingray's spine in 2006.

In 2016, a veteran diver at Singapore's tourist attraction Underwater World died after a stingray stung him in the chest.

According to the National Geographic, stingrays are passive creatures commonly found partially buried in the sands of shallow coastal waters.

They do not attack people but will use their spines to defend themselves when stepped on.

The venom from a stingray spine may cause excruciating pain, loss of consciousness, and muscle weakness in humans.

Fortunately, firefighters came to the tourist's rescue in time and snipped off the stingray's spine with a pair of utility scissors, Chinese media reported.

They rendered first aid to the man who was able to get to his feet after he was freed.

He was later taken to a hospital for further checks and treatment.

minlee@sph.com.sg