A South African tourist has survived being spiked by a stringray caught off the Coromandel Peninsular.
The 42-year-old, who is based in the United Kingdom, hooked the 12-kilogram stingray on Friday after battling with it for nearly an hour at Hot Water Beach.
After reeling it in, he was spiked in the right arm by the ray, which then escaped.
The man covered the wound with insulation tape to stop the bleeding, but later went to hospital to have it treated after concern the spike may have pierced an artery or caused an infection.
He was treated and discharged from Thames Hospital.
