An Australian man in Western Australia’s Kimberley region is recovering after a crocodile bite to the head during a boat ride.
The person in question, who was bit on the head by a saltwater croc, while crabbing in Kimberley, is currently recovering at home with injuries that were described as “not serious.” The man was reported being with friends near the Horizontal Falls tourist destination around 5 pm yesterday, the 17th when a crocodile launched out of the water.
One of the party member’s fathers contacted Perth radio station 6PR and said that one member of the group quickly grabbed a knife and stabbed the croc on the top of the dome.
“His mate who was in the tinny with him, a quick thinker, grabbed a knife and stabbed the croc in the head with a knife.”
A crocodile expert from Murdoch University, Associate Professor David Morgan, commented on the situation, saying they, “are so lucky.”
“The mate that came to his mate’s rescue, I’m sure he’s got beer for life.”
The two men, who were off duty at the time, work for the Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures excursion service.
The party immediately called the Royal Flying Doctor service who gave medical advice over the phone but deemed the injuries to be too minor to warrant an airlift to the hospital. Instead, the two men were flown by their employer to Broome Hospital.
Crocodile experts such as Morgan say that crocodiles swarm to the area during warm weather.
“There are thousands of estuarine saltwater crocodiles in that region and King Sound in general, yeah it’s a hotspot for crocodiles,” Morgan said.
The attack has triggered a Parks and Wildlife team to patrol the area for the crocodile in question, advising visitors to be on high alert and follow best safety practices.
