Jellyfish kills girl in Australia

A deadly box jellyfish is the suspected killer of a seven-year-old girl who was fatally stung off a tropical Australian beach, police said today.

The girl died yesterday in the far north of Queensland state after managing to wade from the surf to Umagico Beach at the northern tip of the Cape York Peninsula, police spokeswoman Jacinda Brown said.

The girl’s relatives and ambulance officers tried to resuscitate her but never detected a pulse, Brown said.

“It appears that it may have been a box jellyfish but that has yet to be confirmed,” Brown said. “It is believed the girl screamed out in pain when stung, came out of the water and collapsed on the beach.”

Tentacle marks across the girl’s chest and legs appeared to be from a box jellyfish, but tests will be conducted to confirm that, Brown said.

The excruciatingly painful sting of the jellyfish, which has a cubic-shaped bell and tentacles up to 10 feet long, is often fatal. Victims often succumb to shock and drown before reaching the beach.

Authorities warn against swimming off Australia’s tropical beaches in the hottest months between October and May because of the heightened jellyfish danger. But fatal stings have also occurred during cooler months, the victims usually children.

Queensland has recorded three ocean deaths in as many days.

Sarah Whiley, 21, died of shock and blood loss following a frenzied attack by what police suspect were bull sharks in subtropical waters off North Stradbroke Island in the Moreton Bay on Saturday.

The body of 52-year-old Bruce Doman was found yesterday afternoon washed ashore at Balaclava Island near Rockhampton city on the central Queensland coast after his boat capsized on Friday night. He had apparently drowned, Brown said.