NATIONAL NEWS - A family fishing trip turned into a nightmare on Friday when a seven-year-old boy was grabbed by a crocodile while playing in shallow water at a resort near Brits.
The boy is currently in an induced coma in a hospital in Alberton after he had his arm ripped off by a crocodile while he accompanied his family on a fishing trip.
According to information the boy and his parents were at the Emanzini Fishing Resort at Roodekoppies Dam together with friends when the attack occurred.
The boy and a friend, Dylan Bekker, were playing in the shallow water a few metres from where their fathers were fishing when a huge crocodile grabbed the child.
Jannie Bekker, Dylan’s father, said his son screamed and tried to pull his friend away from the crocodile.
The boy’s father dove in the water and grabbed his child. By this time the crocodile had already spun the boy around three times. The boy’s father, who is a big man, was also spun around while he held onto his son, Bekker recalled.
The moment the father managed to pull his son free, he noticed that his left arm was missing.
“They were both in total shock and I pulled them to shore,” said Bekker.
Bekker immediately put pressure on the wound by wrapping it in towels and the father rushed off with his son to Brits.
In the meantime, Hartbeespoort Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) was alerted, and they met the father and son along the way.
The boy was stabilised at Mediclinic Brits and then flown by emergency helicopter to a hospital in Alberton for specialised care.
“He is stable but they are keeping him in an induced coma until Monday,” Bekker said.
He said it was a monster crocodile that attacked his friend’s son.
“A young man went out in a boat to see if he could find the arm and the crocodile went for the boat. We went to see the owner of the resort and advised that the crocodile be shot. This must not happen again. It was horrendous.”
*Although the boy’s identity has been made public on other platforms. Caxton Network News opted to withhold his identity because the interview was with a family friend and there was no direct communication with the boy’s parents to confirm whether his identity could be made public.
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