Tourist in Thailand stung by the most poisonous creature on Earth (5 photos)

Zoe Cahill spent more than a month in hospital and was left with scars all over her body after an encounter with a deadly box jellyfish off the coast of Koh Phangan, Thailand.





In October 2023, a tourist arrived at Zen Beach and went into the water when she was attacked by a venomous creature.

A 23-year-old woman from the Australian state of Queensland said that when the box jellyfish's tentacles touched her skin, "electricity ran through her body."



Box jellyfish have up to 15 tentacles that can reach 3 meters in length. Each of them has about 5,000 stinging cells that release a deadly toxin when prey is nearby. The venom of this invertebrate affects the heart, nervous system, and skin cells of humans.

“The venom is so powerful that victims go into shock, drown, or die of heart failure before they even make it to shore,” explains National Geographic. “Those who survive can experience severe pain for weeks, and the contact points between the tentacles often leave visible scars.”



Zoe recalls: "I thought I saw what looked like pieces of plastic in the ocean, and a few seconds later I was stung by a jellyfish."

According to the yoga instructor, her entire body seemed to vibrate.

People who helped Cahill on the beach said she fell on the sand and began to turn blue. A nurse began giving Cahill CPR breathing.



Experts recommend that victims immediately leave the water, call emergency services and, if possible, apply hot water or baking soda to the affected area.

In addition to excruciating pain, such burns can lead to paralysis, cardiac arrest and even death.

Local doctors were powerless, so Cahill was urgently taken to the neighboring island of Koh Samui. She suffered cardiac arrest and spent more than a month in the hospital.

The traveler was unable to walk for two weeks. She was left with scars on her body, which, according to Zoe, she wears "like the most exquisite jewelry."



The girl shares details of her recovery on social media.

In November 2023, Cahill wrote: “I was stung countless times by the most venomous animal on planet Earth, the box jellyfish. My heart stopped several times. When I miraculously reached shore, I fell into a deep sleep. And so began my journey to heaven. I spent my last weeks in the intensive care unit of a Thai hospital. Doctors told my family that my chances of survival were practically zero.”

The girl herself does not know how she managed to pull through. Later examinations showed that her organs were functioning normally, and there were no consequences.

Zoe doesn't want others to go through the same pain she did.

"I'm not sure many people know about box jellyfish. I didn't realize they were so close to the coast."

Cahill revealed that in 2020, she developed a sort of "jellyfish obsession." She explained: "I kept having dreams about them. It wasn't just a coincidence. And that fateful day, my whole value system was turned upside down. I looked at life and the love that surrounds me in a new way."