After being consumed by a crocodile, a one-year-old boy passed away.
According to reports, the incident occurred on Thursday morning, June 19, while the little Malaysian child was in a canoe and his father was fishing off the shore of Lahad Datu in Sabah.
According to legend, the father made an unsuccessful attempt to free his son from the crocodile’s grip.
He suffered injuries throughout the process and needed assistance from other people to get out of the water.
Sumsoa Rashid, head of the Lahad Datu Fire and Rescue Agency, said, “The father suffered serious head and body injuries. His son is still missing and search operations are ongoing. The man has been taken to the Lahad Datu Hospital for medical treatment.”
Sumsoa added, “Many residents there rely on the river for their food and livelihood so they need to go into the water.”
“We have warned them of the extra dangers at the moment and to be especially careful because the crocodile is likely to be still in the area.”
The baby boy’s body is reportedly being sought by the Royal Malaysian Police.
Although they are uncommon, crocodile attacks do occur and frequently result in death.
Australian authorities had to shoot a crocodile dead in 2022 after it attacked a woman. It was believed that the 38-year-old woman was swimming in the water at Butler Cove in Lake Argyle at the time of the attack.
It was ‘destroyed’ because the crocodile was allegedly a ‘problem animal’.
The Department of Biodiversity and Conservation said at the time, “Both the behaviour of a crocodile approaching the boat and the events of the previous day is consistent with what staff would identify as a problem animal.”
“In order to ensure public safety in the popular recreation and swimming area and with consideration to large community events such as the annual Lake Argyle swim taking place this weekend, staff destroyed the animal.”
More recently, a croc assaulted a visitor to the Philippines’ Kabug Mangrove Park and Wetlands Zoo after he climbed over a fence to view what he thought was a statue of the animal.
However, this was not at all the case, and he was attacked as a result. Luckily, he survived to share the story.
