Two men seriously injured in crocodile attack in Australia
A man is in serious condition with head, chest and arm injuries after being attacked by a saltwater crocodile in north Queensland.
A second man also suffered injuries after going to his friend and colleague’s aid.
The pair had been swimming in “croc-infested waters” near the coastal fishing village of Portland Roads on the Cape York Peninsula at about 5pm on Friday when the attack took place, the local mayor said.
“One got attacked and the other one … tried to help,” Lockhart River Mayor Wayne Butcher told ABC news. “They’re found and in safe hands … I’m hoping that they’re well.”
Queensland Ambulance Service said a doctor and critical care paramedic were flown to the scene. The two men were initially treated on an army barge before being airlifted to a Cairns hospital.
One man, in his 20s, who was bitten on the head and body is in a serious but stable condition. The other, in his 30s, suffered wrist and arm injuries after reportedly stabbing the crocodile with a knife, according to the Courier Mail.
A member of the Queensland Ambulance Service, Denis O’Sullivan, said it was reported the crocodile was 2.5 metres in length and that the men “wouldn’t have wanted it any bigger”.
He told the paper: “Anyone who survives an altercation with a wild animal being like a saltwater crocodile, they are aggressive in nature, I think he is very lucky to be alive and here today to tell the story.”
The Australian Defence Force confirmed the two men were Army soldiers. A spokesperson said: “They will continue to receive ongoing medical care from local and regional hospitals.
“Our immediate focus is on providing the necessary medical treatment for the soldiers involved, and supporting their families who have been informed. The event is under investigation.”
Crocodile numbers in the area have spiked in the past three decades, according to Mr Butcher. “There’s a lot of crocodiles on Cape York Peninsula,” he said. “In rivers, estuary systems and even out in the ocean along beaches.
“So got to be very careful and be croc-wise. Wherever you see a sign saying croc-infested waters, please be careful or don’t even enter.”
