A two-year-old Russian boy has died after suffering severe complications from a box jellyfish sting in Langkawi, Malaysia. The child, Vladimir Iakubanets, was stung on Nov 15 and later succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday (Nov 19) at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar, according to Bernama. Vladimir’s father, 32-year-old Nikita, explained that the incident occurred while his son was playing in shallow water near Chenang Beach. He recalled that his wife and their child had been swimming when Vladimir suddenly screamed in pain. His wife quickly carried him out of the water and attempted rescue breathing on the beach before rushing him to a nearby clinic. From there, he was transferred to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital for further treatment, reported The Star.

Despite the doctors’ efforts, Vladimir was pronounced dead at 9.46am. Nikita said medical staff informed them that the jellyfish venom had caused cardiac arrest and that the boy had sustained significant injuries to his legs. He and his wife, Olga, also 32, expressed their gratitude to the hospital team, saying they believed everything possible had been done to try to save their son.

The couple stated that they do not intend to pursue legal action. Instead, they hope the tragedy will serve as a reminder to visitors about the dangers posed by box jellyfish in coastal waters. This was the family’s first visit to Malaysia and Langkawi. They had arrived on Nov 14 and planned to stay until Nov 26. Olga said they now plan to cremate Vladimir and return to Khabarovsk, Russia, with his ashes.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from AsiaOne.