Community Heroes Save Teens From Irukandji Stings

By Jacob Casha

Two Burdekin teenagers, stung by Irukandji jellyfish earlier this month, were reunited with the Marine Rescue Queensland Burdekin (MRQ Burdekin) team whose quick actions helped save them.

Teens Recover After Cape Upstart Irukandji Ordeal

What began as a routine day trip to Cape Upstart quickly became a race to the hospital after two Burdekin teenagers were stung by Irukandji jellyfish on Sunday, 1st of February.

Guardian Dan Horan, son Hudson Horan, 14, friend Tanner Cole, 13, and two others set sail from Molongle Creek to the Cape at around 9am, eventually anchoring the boat and snorkelling just off the shore.

At around 10:30am, Tanner and Hudson emerged from the water with red marks after feeling a mild stinging sensation.

Hudson recalled, “I got hit… then about five seconds later Tanner got got hit on the leg.”

Tanner said the sting initially didn’t feel serious.

“It was just itchy and that was it, really,” he said.

Within minutes, however, the boys’ conditions worsened.

“By the time we got to the boat, Tanner was really sick and started vomiting, and Hudson said he had stabbing pains in his legs and his back down into his feet. He couldn't feel his feet, and he was starting to shake,” Dan recalled.

They soon realised their symptoms were consistent with Irukandji syndrome, a potentially life-threatening reaction to the venom of Irukandji jellyfish.

Initial attempts to call Triple-0 were unsuccessful due to lack of mobile coverage, and tensions on deck began to heighten.

“I was very panicked… obviously your brain goes to the worst-case scenario,” said Dan.

“I'm thinking, are we gonna have to stop? Should I Just stay here? Am I gonna have to resuscitate them?”

Dan turned to the boat’s VHF radio system and contacted MRQ Burdekin, where volunteer Dawn Ordorica answered and organised for emergency services to be contacted within minutes.

Through the radio, fellow MRQ Burdekin volunteer Paul Quagliata coordinated with Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) to meet the group at the boat ramp.

“I was able to talk to Dan on the radio while I had the dispatcher and QAS on the phone, so we were able to relay that information quite quickly so they [QAS] knew what they're dealing with when they got there,” recalled Quagliata.

Within five minutes of Dan pulling up at the ramp, paramedics were on scene.

Quagliata said the quick coordination between MRQ Burdekin and QAS likely prevented a longer ordeal.

“I think we saved the boys probably 40 minutes of more agony.”

Paramedics immediately administered first aid on-site before providing pain relief and transporting the teenagers to Ayr Hospital, where doctors confirmed the stings were consistent with Irukandji jellyfish.

The pair was monitored until their symptoms subsided at around 5am the next morning.

A relieved figure, Dan lauded the efforts of emergency services in handling the situation.

“The fact that they [MRQ Burdekin] were able to have the ambulance there in five minutes of us pulling up the ramp, was a big, massive relief for me, and also the boys,” he said.

Quagliata said the situation served as testament to the importance of volunteer-led emergency services like MRQ Burdekin.

“It just goes to show what we're about in times of need and what we're capable of doing,” he said.

Cover—Dan Horan, Hudson Horan, and Tanner Cole with MRQ Burdekin volunteers Paul Quagliata and Dawn Ordorica, who coordinated their rescue. Photo credit: Jacob Casha

2— “The fact that they [MRQ Burdekin] were able to have the ambulance there in five minutes of us pulling up the ramp, was a big, massive relief for me, and also the boys,” said Dan Horan. Photo supplied