A five-year-old Florida girl riding in a boat has died after a sturgeon leapt from the Suwannee River and struck her.
Wildlife officials said Jaylon Rippy died after being struck on Thursday night. Her mother and nine-year-old brother were also injured and taken to a Gainesville hospital. Their condition was not known.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it was the first fatality recorded from a sturgeon strike on the Suwannee River. Four people have been injured by jumping sturgeon this year.
The fish are known for leaping more than two metres above the water. They can grow up to 2.4 metres long, weigh up to 90kg and can cause serious injuries.
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