Warning: This article contains a graphic image of the injury sustained in the attack, which may disturb some readers.
An Italian tourist has had a spiky end to his Waitangi Day after receiving a leg wound from a stingray while body surfing.
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Local surfer Colin McGonagle assisted the man on the beach after he received a large laceration to his leg.
Once he was on the beach multiple people became involved in making sure the tourist was okay.
"Holiday goers attended to him until Mount lifeguard service and ambulance staff arrived," Mr McGonagle told Newshub.
NZME reports the man was taken to Tauranga Hospital and is recovering. The Bay of Plenty DHB has been contacted for comment.
The Italian man's stingray injuries are not the first sustained while in the water this summer. Invercargill man Jamie Cunningham was struck in the chest by a barb at the beginning of January.
He told Newshub the pain was excruciating.
"The right leg just collapsed under me, the next thing I know almost like a whip hits me under the ribs on the left hand side and I just go down, it's just painful," he said at the time.
Mr Cunningham received surgery for his injuries at Southland Hospital and has since recovered.
Newshub.
