Australian swimmer dies after rare stingray attack

Canberra : An Australian man died after it was attacked by a stingray off a beach in Tasmania, the first known fatality of its kind in the area, authorities said on Sunday.

The 42-year-old victim was swimming at Lauderdale, about 13 km east of Hobart, when he was stung in the abdomen,reports Xinhua news agency.

"Attempts to resuscitate the male were unsuccessful... He was removed from the water by friends prior to the arrival of emergency services," a police statement said.

Waters off the island state are known to contain a number of stingray species, with the animals said to frequent the Lauderdale area.