Huge Crocodile Allegedly Attacks, Kills Father-Of-Four As Friends Watch Helplessly

A 51-year-old man was allegedly attacked and killed by a 13-foot-long crocodile, while he was taking a bath in a river in Indonesia.

The horrific incident, which took place on Feb. 15, was reported Tuesday. The father-of-four, identified only as Luther, was with his friends when the huge crocodile pounced on him. His friends watched helplessly as the crocodile dragged the man into the Bebatu River in North Kalimantan province.

Luther was caught on camera trying to fight the crocodile, media outlet Naija News reported.

Residents reported the incident to the Tarakan Search and Rescue Office (Basarnas) and their team arrived at the scene to find the victim, according to Flores Terkini [Google Translate showed].

“This is where a person was attacked by a crocodile but have not yet been found until now. We are making a video here," a voice is allegedly heard saying in the video, which is not currently available on social media.

Luther was reportedly last seen on the edge of the river.

The village head, Mahmuda, said rescuers have been sent to help look for Luther's remains.

“It really happened here. The victim’s name was Luther. Incidents of people being attacked by crocodiles in the canal also happened before," he said, according to Naija News.

As the search for Luther’s body continues, the army and police were called in to join the rescue mission.

“We are constrained by the location where there are lots of bushes, branching canals, and inadequate equipment but our team will try our best to find the victim," Lt. Col. Tri Prio Utomo of the Tana Tidung Military District reportedly said. “We urge everyone not to come near the canal so please obey the signs to avoid these incidents from happening.”

In a similar incident, a massive crocodile in Indonesia attacked and killed an 8-year-old girl while she was bathing with her friends in a river in October 2021. The child's body was found two days later. The horrific incident took place in Buru island. The victim, identified as Suci Ramadhani, was bathing with her friends when she was attacked by the crocodile in the river in Teluk Kayeli district. Locals rushed to the scene and managed to stab the crocodile with a spear.