Moray Eel Bites 10-Year-Old Girl on Eilat Beach
A 10-year-old girl, Shir, was bitten on the foot by a moray eel while on a family outing at Coral Beach in Eilat, the Ministry of Health announced Wednesday. The bite caused deep cuts and a complete tear in the extensor tendon of her big toe. She was evacuated to Yoseftal Medical Center in the city, where she underwent cleaning, received antibiotics to prevent marine infections, and had surgery to repair the tendon.
Dr. Sergei Boykov, head of orthopedics at Yoseftal Medical Center, stated that upon examination, it was discovered the girl could not move her big toe. "In surgery, we located a complete tear in the extensor tendon and sutured it to prevent future functional impairment. Children recover well from such injuries, and we expect a full recovery," he said.
Following the incident, Dr. Nasif Assala, head of pediatrics at Yoseftal, explained that moray eels do not typically attack but advised swimmers to avoid approaching marine animals and to only enter the water wearing water shoes. Shir's mother echoed the warning, adding, "This incident taught us an important lesson. We will not enter the water in reef areas without water shoes, not even for a second."
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