KEY WEST, Fla., June 13 (UPI) -- An Australian swimmer has ended her attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida less than 12 hours after she started, officials say.
A jellyfish sting that left her severely debilitated forced Chloe McCardel to end her trek only 11 hours after she entered the waters of the Gulf of Mexico in Havana, CNN reported Thursday.
McCardel was on a boat Wednesday night heading for Key West and "will spend the next 24 hours recuperating before deciding on her plans going forward," spokesman Tim Stackpool said.
The 28-year-old swimmer had wanted to set a world record for the longest unassisted swim. She had expected the 100-mile journey to take 60 hours.
McCardel did not use any flippers or a wet suit, which exposed her to jellyfish stings.
McCardel hoped to raise money for cancer research and improve relations between Cuba and the United States. The effort cost about $150,000, she said earlier.
The last successful attempt was in 1997 by another Australian, Susie Maroney, who completed the journey inside a shark cage.
