SYDNEY, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- An Australian man died after being stung by a stingray off a beach in Tasmania state capital Hobart late Saturday, in the first known fatality of its kind in the area, according to local media.
The 42-year-old victim was swimming at Lauderdale, about 13 km east of the city, when he was stung in the abdomen, the ABC news channel quoted police as saying on Sunday.
"Attempts to resuscitate the male were unsuccessful ... He was removed from the water by friends prior to the arrival of emergency services," according to a police statement.
Authorities will consider closing off the beach if advised, local council mayor Doug Chipman told reporters.
"I'm not aware of any other stingray attacks on the beach there but we will be taking advice from the experts and from Tasmania Police in terms of public safety," said Chipman.
Waters off the island state are known to contain a number of stingray species, with the animals said to frequent the Lauderdale area.
