Sailfish Charges At Boat, Leaps Out And Stabs 73-Year-Old Woman In Her Groin

Stuart, Florida -- A 73-year-old woman was stabbed by a 100-pound sailfish that lunged at her, while she was on a boat off the Florida coast.

The woman, identified as Katherine Perkins from Arnold in Maryland, was currently in a stable condition, a spokesperson at HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital told CNN on Sunday.

The incident took place about two miles off Stuart on July 19 morning when two other people, who were with Perkins on the boat, tried to catch the fish, the authorities said.

The sailfish seemed to be charging at the boat before it leaped out and attacked Perkins, said her co-passengers -- Louis Toth and Dominic Bellezza, USA TODAY reported.

Perkins was standing on the boat next to the center console when the sailfish stabbed her in the groin with its pointed bill. She said the attack happened "so fast" that she barely had time to react, according to a report from the Martin County Sheriff's Office, the media outlet reported.

Toth and Bellezza immediately applied pressure to Perkins' wound until they were able to get off the boat. It took them about an hour before they were able to dock at Sandsprit Park in Stuart.

Perkins had reportedly “became incoherent” as they rushed to the shore. First responders were waiting for the trio, and rescuers tended to Perkins’ injury, the Miami Herald reported.

The woman was eventually flown to the hospital.

Toth and Bellezza told the authorities they believe the fish weighed about 100 pounds.

The sailfish was widely considered to be the fastest fish in the ocean, according to the non-profit Oceana, which worked to protect and restore oceans. A sailfish can travel at speeds of 70 mph, and its easily-recognizable, long upper jaw makes it stand apart, Oceana said on their website.

The incident comes in light of several shark attacks being reported in the country. A fisherman in Florida was attacked last week by a six-foot-long shark he had caught. The angler was trying to remove a hook from the creature’s mouth when he was bitten. He was airlifted to the hospital to receive medical attention.