Asian carp knocks man off jet ski

PEKIN, Ill., May 7 (UPI) -- Authorities in Illinois said an Asian carp in the Illinois River jumped out of the water and knocked a man from his jet ski.

The Pekin Fire Department said Tad Newell, 22, called 911 on his cell phone after the fish knocked him into the river and his jet ski began sinking, the Peoria (Ill.) Journal-Star reported Thursday.

"I turned to avoid a tire floating in the water, and an Asian carp flew up and hit the jet ski," Newell told the Pekin Daily Times. "I went one way, and the (jet) ski went the other. I couldn't get the (jet) ski to flip over, so I called 911."

Fire Chief Chuck Lauss said firefighters in a rescue boat towed the jet ski to a dock and rescued Newell, who was uninjured, the Journal-Star reported.