Two-Year-Old Russian Boy Dies After Jellyfish Sting In Langkawi

ALOR SETAR, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- A two-year-old Russian boy who was reported to have been stung by a jellyfish at Chenang Beach, Langkawi last Saturday, passed away at Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah (HSB) here this morning.

The boy’s father, Nikita Iakubanets, 32, said his son, Vladimir, was pronounced dead at 9.46 am after four days of treatment at the hospital.

“The doctor said that our child was poisoned by a jellyfish, then his heart stopped… the doctor also said our child had very big injuries on his legs.

“The doctor said the injuries were caused by a jellyfish sting and that it was a ‘box jellyfish’,” he said when met by reporters at a hotel here today.

Nikita, who was accompanied by his wife Olga, 32, added that the medical team at HSB had done their best to save their son and expressed gratitude for their efforts.

Recalling the incident on Saturday morning, Nikita said he, his wife and son were swimming at Chenang Beach when their child screamed in pain.

Nikita said his wife then lifted their son to the shore and tried to administer rescue breathing before taking him to a nearby clinic.

He added that his son was later referred to Hospital Sultanah Maliha, Langkawi, and the following day sent to HSB.

Nikita said this was their family’s first visit to Malaysia and Langkawi after arriving on Nov 14, and they had planned to stay until Nov 26.

Meanwhile, Olga said she and her husband plan to cremate their son and bring his ashes home to Khabarovsk, Russia.

“Our son is our hero. He is our little angel. Every day we told him we loved him, and he always said he loved us too,” she said.

-- BERNAMA