Dolphin jumps into boat and breaks woman's ankles on family trip in Southern California

 
Stranded: the boat was left covered in blood after the dolphin bled from its cuts (Picture: AP)
AP
Rachel Blundy2 July 2015

A woman was left with two broken ankles after a dolphin jumped into her boat, knocked her to the floor and landed on her legs.

The animal crashed into Chrissie Frickman as she enjoyed a boating trip with her husband Dirk and their two children.

The family were watching a pod of dolphins in Southern California on June 21 when the accident happened, the Orange County Register reported.

Mr Frickman told the newspaper he called for an ambulance and began steering the boat back towards the harbour in Orange County.

He said he splashed water on the 150kg dolphin to keep it alive as it thrashed around and bled from some cuts.

"I could hear my phone buzzing and beeping on the floor - it was covered in blood," he said.

Once back at the harbour, Mr Frickman managed to pull the dolphin onto a dock with a rope before releasing it.

He said: "The dolphin was hopefully saved. It swam away with no problem."

His wife was treated for her injuries and is still recovering.

Injury: Dirk Frickman with his wife Chrissie (Picture: AP)
AP

Harbor Patrol Sgt. DJ Haldeman said sea lions have been known to jump aboard boats before, but this was the first time he'd heard of a dolphin doing the same.

He said: "I don't know what was in the water, but something must have scared it out."

Additional reporting by the Associated Press

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