The dream family holiday for a Russian couple turned into an unimaginable tragedy when their two-year-old son died after being stung by a box jellyfish in shallow water.
A Sudden Cry in Shallow Water
Vladimir ‘Vova’ Yakubanets, aged just two, was paddling in the sea at Chenang Beach in Langkawi, Malaysia, when the incident occurred. The family, from Khabarovsk in Russia, had only arrived for their holiday the day before. Vova’s father, Nikita Yakubanets, 32, recounted the harrowing moment his son suddenly cried out while in the shallow water near the shore.
His wife, Olga, immediately took the boy from the water and handed him to Nikita before going to fetch a cloth to clean his leg. “At that moment, my son stopped breathing,” Nikita said. “I tried giving CPR. Other tourists came to help.”
Race Against Time for Treatment
The family was taken to first responders on the beach, but the father expressed shock that they were only able to clean the wound with vinegar before directing them to a clinic. The situation was critical as antivenin, a crucial treatment for box jellyfish venom, was not available locally.
Vova was subsequently rushed to a hospital in Langkawi. A Langkawi civil defence spokesman confirmed the boy was brought in “in a near-lifeless state” but was successfully resuscitated after two hours of effort. Due to the severity of the sting, which left horrifying lesions on his skin, the hospital had to obtain the necessary antivenom from Penang, a city located some 90 miles away.
A Family’s Heartbreaking Warning
Despite being moved to a major hospital, Vova tragically died four days after the attack from complications arising from the sting. His parents, Nikita and Olga, 32, have stated they will not pursue legal action for negligence. Instead, they want their son’s death to serve as a vital warning to other parents about the potential risks posed by marine life.
“We believe this was the purpose of his life — to save others, to prevent future tragedies,” Nikita said. “Vladimir was very kind, very smart. We were a happy family.” Olga added, “Our son is our hero. He is our little angel. Every day we told him we loved him, and he always said he loved us too.”
The family’s profound loss underscores the hidden dangers that can exist even in seemingly safe, shallow holiday waters.
