Judy Kay Zagorski from Michigan was on vacation in the Florida Keys when on March 20, 2008, she was killed by a sting ray. She was riding in a boat driven by her father near Marathon Key, when the ray jumped out of the water, and hit her in the face, knocking her over. Her sister, who was sitting next to her was also hit, but survived with a bad bruise. The medical examiner concluded that she was killed from the blunt impact with the stingray and was not stung by it's barb. Her family has decided not to schedule an autopsy.

Stingrays are not generally aggressive, and tend to jump when fleeing prey. Speedboats can look like sharks to rays underwater, and authorities speculate that the ray was jumping in an attempt to avoid perceived danger.

• MSNBC Video: Stingray Strikes, Kills Woman (Time: 1:38)

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• WWSB (Sarasota, FL): Medical examiner: Woman struck by ray died from collision (March 21, 2008)

• BBC NEWS: Leaping stingray kills US woman (March 21, 2008)

• Detroit Free Press: Stingray Jumps onto Boat, Mich. Woman Dies in Freak Accident (March 20, 2008)

• FOXNews: Stingray Jumps Out of Water in Florida Keys... Killing Michigan Boater (March 20, 2008)

• CBS News: Stingray Kills Woman in Fla. Keys (March 20, 2008)

• Reuters: Jumping eagle ray kills boater off Florida Keys (March 20, 2008)

• Los Angeles Times: Giant ray kills woman in boat in Florida Keys (March 20, 2008)

• MSNBC: Stingray kills woman sunbathing on boat (March 20, 2008)

• Naples News: Stingray kills sunbathing woman on boat in Florida Keys (March 20, 2008)