A 23-year-old man on a personal watercraft nearly drowned after a jumping sturgeon knocked him unconscious and into the Suwannee River, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

FWC investigators said Blake Nicholas Fessenden of Wildwood, Fla., was traveling north on the Suwannee River Sunday when a 4-foot sturgeon jumped out of the water and hit him.

Fessenden's girlfriend, who was riding a personal watercraft behind him, saw the incident and sped to his aid. She jumped into the water and held his head above water, according to a FWC news release.

Passengers on another vessel pulled Fessenden from the water and took him to the Hart Springs Boat Ramp.

Fessenden was airlifted to Shands Hospital in Gainesville where he was expected to recover.

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