An elderly woman was stabbed in the groin by a roughly 100-pound airborne sailfish during a Tuesday fishing trip off the coast of Florida.
The sailfish jumped out of the water and struck Katherine Perkins, a Maryland woman in her seventies, and its spearlike, pointed bill pierced her groin, The Associated Press reported.
Perkins was accompanied on the boat by two men in their seventies who were attempting to reel in the game fish, according to AP. (RELATED: California Court Declares Bees Are Actually Fish)
SAILFISH STABS WOMAN: A 70-year-old woman was stabbed in the groin by the bill of a 100-pound sailfish that leapt out of the water and attacked her as her companions were trying to reel it in on a boat off the Florida coast. https://t.co/Yotj9AeDrW
— WPLG Local 10 News (@WPLGLocal10) July 23, 2022
Perkins was standing close to the center console of the vessel while the men worked to reel in the fish when the sailfish stabbed her, The Miami Herald reported.
Immediately after the spontaneous attack, Perkins “became incoherent,” and the men put pressure on her wound, the Herald continued. (RELATED: Two Women Killed In Separate Shark Attacks Near Egypt)
The men rushed to the nearest dock where first responders waited for their arrival, the outlet continued.
The Maryland woman was subsequently airlifted to a Florida medical facility for professional treatment, CNN reported.
A 73-year-old woman was airlifted to a hospital after being stabbed by a 100-pound sailfish, officials said https://t.co/PaAhUeaOGy
— CNN (@CNN) July 24, 2022
The incident took place about 2 miles off the Atlantic coast of Stuart, Florida, which is north of Palm Beach, the New York Post reported.
Sailfish are widely recognized as one of the fastest animals in the ocean. Sailfish can swim up to approximately 70 miles per hour, according to American Oceans.
Clocking in at speeds in excess of 68 mph, some experts consider the sailfish to be the fastest fish in the ocean. ⛵️🐟
📸: @bluelifewild/IG#Sealife #ocean #fish pic.twitter.com/7qlmIlXk4K
— Science Channel (@ScienceChannel) August 1, 2021
As of Sunday, there has been no official update released regarding Perkins’ condition, according to the Herald.