Medusa and corneal burn
In 2017, Alina Petriv from Moscow took a family holiday to the Crimea with her parents and her 14-year-old sister Anastasia. That trip started with high hopes but ended in a frightening medical emergency.
On the day in question, Nastya usually followed her parents into the water last, a routine that had become part of their beach tradition. The family rested on sun loungers as the afternoon sun warmed their skin. Nastya ventured into the water alone, enjoying her favorite pastime of diving. She disappeared underwater, resurfaced briefly to wave, and then disappeared again as she went for another dive.
When she resurfaced, something looked off. Her face was flushed and she could not open her eyes. She cried, overwhelmed by pain and fear. The family acted quickly, summoning an ambulance as Nastya explained she had felt something soft against her face while diving and then saw a jellyfish in front of her eyes. The sharp pain intensified as her eyes resisted opening.
In the ambulance, the family learned that the jellyfish had caused a deep sting not only on the skin but also near the eyes. Nastya’s vision became blurry, and she fought to keep her eyes open. The medics moved swiftly to stabilize her, and she was taken to a hospital where doctors confirmed a corneal burn requiring restorative treatment. She spent about a week under care to recover vision, leaving behind a lasting mark on her skin and face as healing progressed.
Today, Nastya’s injured eye does not see as clearly as before, and she bears several small burn marks on her face. Since the incident, she has refused to swim in the sea, choosing to avoid the water she once loved.
An open broken and bloodstained chaise lounge
Another vacation memory comes from Margarita Konakova, who witnessed a serious accident in 2015 when her parents sent her to a children’s camp in Spain. During a trip to a water park, a counselor suffered a severe injury that shocked everyone nearby.
People were swimming calmly and riding slides when an emergency call over the loudspeaker summoned all the children to a meeting point. The scene they found was terrifying. A fellow counselor named Artyom lay unconscious on a chaise lounge, pale and covered with blood. A broken leg showed a dislocated knee, a grim sight that spoke to the severity of the accident. The incident was described as open fracture with the leg twisted as a result of a fall down a hill, catching clothing in the process.
Lifeguards and a doctor accompanying the group provided initial care before an ambulance arrived. The victim was transported to hospital promptly, and the children were relocated to another area of the water park while awaiting transport back to their hotel. Artyom ultimately returned to Russia a few days later.
Kid’s pool fight and severed earlobe
Another family vacation incident involved Irina Totskaya from Saint Petersburg and her five-year-old daughter Alisa, who were at a Turkish resort in 2019. The mother left her child briefly at the paddling pool to fetch a drink.
Upon returning, Irina found Alisa crying and covered in blood, clutching her ear. A biting fight among other children had resulted in a torn earlobe. The earring was still attached to a small piece of skin, making the scene especially distressing for the parent and onlookers.
At the hospital, physicians chose not to sew the earlobe immediately. They removed the accessory and treated the area with a Band-Aid style dressing, letting the skin gradually heal and regenerate over time. Within a few months, the ear regained nearly normal appearance aside from a faint scar. The mother recalled the moment with a mix of horror and relief as the scar faded.
He climbed the Ferris wheel and died of his injuries in the hospital
Oleg Nefedov witnessed a tragic incident involving a tourist at a Crimea amusement park. A drunk young man decided to climb a Ferris wheel that night, long after the park had closed and without the usual safety measures in place.
Security had removed seats and closed access, yet the man managed to ascend the wheel. He reached higher than anyone expected, but disaster struck when his footing failed. He fell to the pavement, causing catastrophic injuries that required immediate medical attention. Paramedics arrived, and he was transported to hospital. Doctors found multiple fractures in the neck and back, with significant damage to the lower spine and several open fractures.
Whether the man survived was uncertain at the time, but local accounts suggested that the injuries were fatal in the hospital aftermath.
Manicure scissors stuck in her head
Two years earlier, Yevgeny Makarov took the children of his partner on a vacation to the Krasnodar region. The family stayed with relatives, hoping for a smooth trip. Things took a frightening turn when an accident occurred in the kitchen area.
The aunt had left briefly to fetch something, and a child’s moment of rough play escalated into danger. One of the twins, Anya, struck her sibling Vanya with a sharp object out of impulsive play. Nails clippers had become lodged in Vanya’s temple, causing a serious head injury that required urgent hospital treatment.
Thankfully, a skilled surgeon managed to remove the object and minimize damage. The doctors reassured that another ten minutes could have changed the outcome. The family’s quick action and competent medical care helped the boy recover, and the event left a lasting, sobering memory for everyone involved.