Barracuda Attacks 13-Year-Old FL Boy in Boat: 'His Arm is a Mess,' Says Grandmother (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
A barracuda attack resulted in one Florida 13-year-old's arm being torn to pieces. Parker King had been fishing with his father Irwin about 20 miles off the coast when the 50-pound fish jumped onto their boat and viciously attacked his arm and chest, resulting in blood loss and numerous stitches.
The barracuda attack occurred between Port Orange and New Smyrna Beach off the cost of Orlando. Parker and Irwin King spotted the barracuda and thought they would try to reel it in— "this should be a fun little fight," the father recalled thinking to WKMG— but the fight turned nearly fatal for the teen.
"In a split second, he went from there, up over the boat and just nailed him right here," King explained, pointing to his own shoulder and arm.
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The six foot long, 50-pound fish tore Parker's arm to shreds in just seconds. As the boy began to lose blood heavily, his father wrapped a towel around him then immediately headed to shore to seek medical attention for his son.
"[The barracuda was] flopping in the back of the boat and I started going, just heading, I mean, it was not a fun ride, it was a bouncy ride and I really didn't care. I didn't care if parts were flying off the boat, I just wanted to get him in," King said. "I was praying that he wasn't going to run out of blood."
Fortunately, Irwin King managed to get his son to emergency medical services in time, and at a local hospital, they used numerous stitches to repair the gaping wounds. His grandmother, Shirley King, said that the 13-year-old was "very lucky," and that he is currently recovering.
"He's sore, His arm is just a mess," she told The Orlando Sentinel. "He's just very lucky. The thing could have [bit] across his neck."
