A five-year-old Florida girl has died after a sturgeon leapt into her boat along the Suwannee River and struck her.

Wildlife officials said Jaylon Rippy died after being struck on Thursday night.

Her mother and nine-year-old brother were also injured and taken to a Gainesville hospital. Their condition was not known.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said this is the first death recorded from a sturgeon strike on the Suwannee River. Four people have been injured by jumping sturgeon this year.

The fish are known for leaping more than 7 feet above the water. They can grow up to 9 feet long and weigh up to 200 pounds.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.