ALOR SETAR, Nov 21 — A two-year-old Russian boy has died four days after he was stung by a box jellyfish at Pantai Cenang in Langkawi, Kedah.
Vladimir Iakubanets was pronounced dead at Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah here yesterday, having succumbed to complications from the sting, the New Straits Times reported.
His parents, Nikita and Olga, said they do not intend to blame anyone or take legal action. Instead, they want their son’s death to have meaning by raising awareness to prevent future tragedies.
“We believe this was the purpose of his life: to save others,” said his father, Nikita, 32. “Our son is our hero. He is our little angel.”
The couple, who were on their first visit to Malaysia, plan to cremate Vladimir and bring his ashes back to Russia.
Recounting the horrifying incident on Saturday, Nikita said his son was playing in shallow water when he suddenly cried out.
“My wife took him out of the water... At that moment, my son stopped breathing. I tried giving CPR,” he said.
He admitted he was “taken aback” when first responders at the beach were only able to clean the wound with vinegar before he was rushed to a clinic and then the hospital.
He thanked the medical teams in Langkawi and Alor Setar for doing everything they could to save his son.
Fatal jellyfish stings are rare in Malaysia, but the risks are well-documented.
In 2018, a five-year-old French boy died after being stung by a jellyfish while swimming off Pulau Pangkor, Perak.
Following the incident in Langkawi, it was reported that antivenom had to be transported from Penang.
