A two-year-old Russian boy has died after being stung by a box jellyfish while on a family holiday in Langkawi, Malaysia. Vladimir 'Vova' Yakubanets was playing in shallow water at Chenang Beach when he cried out in pain. His father, Nikita, said his wife took the boy out of the water, but he then stopped breathing.
First responders at the beach cleaned the wound with vinegar but lacked antivenom, forcing the family to transport the toddler to a hospital 90 miles away. He was resuscitated after two hours, but later died from complications at Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah in Alor Star.
The boy's parents, Nikita and Olga Yakubanets, said they will not take legal action but hope their son's death serves as a warning about the dangers of marine life. Nikita said: 'We believe this was the purpose of his life — to save others, to prevent future tragedies.'
Doctors reported that the child suffered severe leg injuries and cardiac arrest due to the venom. The family plans to cremate Vladimir and take his ashes back to Russia.
