An 8-year-old boy named Rikard was attacked by a suspected pike while swimming in Stöcksjön, Umeå. The incident left him with significant injuries, requiring medical attention. The family, frequent visitors to the lake, is now reconsidering their swimming habits due to the traumatic event.
Boy Attacked by Aggressive Fish in Umeå: A Summer Swim Turns Traumatic
Boy Attacked by Aggressive Fish in Umeå: A Summer Swim Turns Traumatic
A boy was attacked by a fish during a swim in Umeå, requiring medical attention and now avoiding lake swimming.
Stöcksjön in Umeå is a favorite spot for the family, where they have swum many times before.
– It's a lake we often swim in and have done so for many years. Both with the children, and I swam a lot in that lake when I was younger too, says Jenny Johansson, 34.
But on Monday, it was likely the last time, at least for this summer. This was after Rikard, 8, was attacked by what they suspect is a pike, something first reported by TV4.
The family was there, and blankets were laid out on the beach. Rikard, his older brother, and a friend were in the water when suddenly a scream was heard.
– A woman picked up Rikard and saw that there was a lot of blood and wounds. So I came running down into the water and had quite a few thoughts as I ran down.
"Oh, Jenny, there's a lot of blood," said the father to Jenny when he saw what had happened.
Needed to Glue Together
Initially, Jenny thought Rikard had stepped on something sharp, but then saw he had no wound under his foot.
– You could see tooth marks in the foot and also tears from the teeth, says Jenny.
They went straight to the health center in Umeå, and the largest wound needed stitches. But Rikard wasn't up for it, so they opted for a simpler solution – gluing the worst wound together.
– But a few hours later, it had come apart again. Glue was probably not the best option in this case.
So they sought medical care again in the evening, where they tried to tape the wound together.
No More Swimming in Lakes or Seas
Jenny admits she has previously been afraid of fish and says this incident has heightened that fear.
– You think you don't dare to swim in lakes anymore, but we have to build it up and see if there will be any more swims.
Rikard describes the past few days as tough and is affected by the incident. He has never been averse to swimming before, so if there is any swimming in the future, it won't be in a lake or sea.
It will have to be in a pool.