Leaping Sting ray kills woman in the Florida Keys

A 75-pound stingray killed a Michigan woman Thursday when it flew out of the water and struck her face as she rode a boat in the Florida Keys, officials said.

Judy Kay Zagorski, 57, of Pigeon, was sitting in the front seat of a boat going 25 m.p.h. when the spotted eagle ray, with a wingspan of 5 to 6 feet, leaped out of the water in the Vaca Key area, said Jorge Pino, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The collision knocked Zagorski backward onto the floor of the boat, Pino said.

The impact likely killed the woman, and she did not appear to have puncture wounds from the ray's barb, Pino said. An autopsy is planned, he said.

Zagorski's sister was standing next to her when the stingray appeared but was not injured, Pino said.

The Spotted Eagle Ray, which can grow up to 17 feet long and 500 pounds, is known for leaping out of the water and sailing through the air. The stinging spines, which can be found at the dorsal base, number from 2-6, and are used exclusively for defensive purposes.