ZCZC
BFF-18
AUSTRALIA-BRITAIN-ANIMAL-SNAKE
Briton dies after sea snake bite in Australia
SYDNEY, Oct 5, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – A young British man has died after being
bitten by a sea snake while working aboard a fishing trawler off Australia’s
northern coast, authorities said Friday, in a rare case despite the marine
creature’s deadly venom.
The 23-year-old was bitten as he pulled up a net around noon on Thursday
when the vessel was some 70 nautical miles south of Groote Eylandt, an island
in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Northern Territory Police said.
St John Ambulance operations manager Craig Garraway told the Northern
Territory News paramedics went out to the trawler “but unfortunately by the
time they got out there he had passed away”.
The boat eventually docked at the small township of Borroloola where the
man, reportedly a backpacker, was declared dead.
Police said the British embassy was notified of his death and a post-mortem
examination would be conducted.
Some 30 of the 70 known species of sea snake — marine reptiles found in
tropical waters — are found in Australia.
Sea snakes are venomous but considered to be non-aggressive and rarely
attack unless provoked.
The Marine Education Society of Australasia said most sea snake bites occur
on trawlers, although only a small proportion are fatal to humans as it is
rare for much venom to be injected. It said there were no deaths previously
recorded from bites in Australian waters.
BSS/AFP/MR/ 1032 hrs