Man flown to hospital after deadly animal encounter

The man was on holiday in Queensland’s Whitsundays when he was attacked by a highly venomous – but tiny – sea creature.

A man’s been flown to hospital after coming across a tiny yet potentially deadly form of sea life.

The 41-year-old NSW man was on holiday at Hamilton Island, in Queensland’s Whitsunday Islands, on Friday morning when he was stung in the face by an Irukandji jellyfish.

A Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (Central Queensland) rescue helicopter was tasked by Queensland Health about 9.45am to fly the man to Mackay Base Hospital.

The sting from the tiny Irukandji jellyfish can cause a range of adverse symptoms, some of which can be fatal.

The crew grabbed antivenom from a hospital before making the 90km flight to the Whitsundays.

“The patient … was in considerable pain and suffering symptoms of the potentially deadly Irukandji syndrome before being transferred to Mackay Base Hospital in a serious condition,” an RACQ CQ Rescue spokesperson said in a statement.

In February, a woman aged in her 20s was also stung by an Irukandji in waters off Fraser Island, and a spate of children in Queensland and Western Australia also suffered suspected Irukandji stings over the December-January school holidays.

The Irukandji is a tiny, highly venomous jellyfish species, with symptoms of its sting appearing five to 45 minutes after the initial attack.

Those who believe they’ve been stung should seek urgent medical attention. Vinegar can be poured on the sting site, but it shouldn’t be rubbed or splashed with freshwater.

It was a busy weekend for the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter.

The RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter had a busy weekend, starting when a man was stung in the face by an Irukandji jellyfish on Friday.

On Sunday the chopper transported a worker at the Burton Coal Mine, who was suffering from suspected appendicitis.

Two more seriously ill patients required airlifting in separate incidents on Sunday night.

And on Monday the chopper was needed again when a 73-year-old Ayr man fell from his roof, suffering broken bones and serious internal injuries.

He was flown north to Townsville University Hospital in a serious but stable condition.