Man Bites Crocodile To Free 12-Year-Old Son From Reptile's Jaws

A father rescued his son from a crocodile attack by biting the reptile in the leg until it let go of the boy, according to reports. The incident took place in Balabac town, in Palawan region in the Philippines.

According to the Daily Mail, the 12-year-old boy was swimming with his younger brother in a river near their home when the crocodile attacked him and dragged him underwater. After hearing the boy's cries for help, his father — identified as Tejada Abulhasan — reached the scene armed with a plank of wood. He tried hitting the dangerous predator several times but it did not leave his son Diego.

Desperate to save his son's life, Tejada grabbed hold of the crocodile and bit his leg several times. To his surprise, the reptile released the boy and swam back in the water.

The 12-year-old was rushed to a hospital to be treated for the injuries before being released two days later.

"There was so much adrenaline in my body I had no time to think. I was hitting the crocodile and it would not release my boy. I was wrestling the crocodile and we looked in each others eyes," Tejada said, according to Daily Mail. "Then out of nowhere I had the idea to bite him. I grabbed his leg and just bit as hard as I could like a Rottweiler dog."

Superintendent Socrates Faltado, a spokesman for the MIMAROPA (Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) regional police said: "Fortunately and due to the bravery of his father, the victim did not drown and only suffered wounds from crocodile bites... Investigations revealed that while the victim and his younger brother were cleaning themselves in the river, the crocodile suddenly snapped his left arm and pulled him into the deeper area and dragged his body causing several cuts in the different parts of his body."

"Accordingly, his younger brother ran and told his father that the victim was bitten and taken by the crocodile," Faltado said. "Immediately, his father ran to the river, came to his rescue and bit the crocodile continuously which made the crocodile released his son."