Man saves himself after crocodile bites off his head while snorkeling in Australia
A man in Australia managed to “pull his head out of the jaws of a crocodile” during a terrifying confrontation that he miraculously emerged from alive
A 51-year-old man snorkeling in Australia was attacked by a saltwater crocodile, and managed to escape and save his life by “ripping its jaws off his head.”
The man, identified as Marcus McGowan, was snorkeling with his wife and a group of friends at a resort in Queensland, off the coast of Cape York, last Saturday when he suddenly felt that something “had its jaws around his head”.
McGowan, who at first “thought it was a shark,” managed to pull the reptile’s jaws out of his head during the terrifying confrontation.
“I was able to open its jaws wide enough to get my head out,” McGowan told the Queensland Government Hospital Service.
The man said the crocodile tried to come back to attack him again and “finish the job,” but he was able to protect himself with his right hand, which was subsequently bitten off.
“I was able to escape the croc’s clutches once again and swim to the safety of the approaching boat after they heard our cries for help,” McGowan added, saying the croc was probably young and between 6 and 9 feet long.
McGowan was rushed to Haggerstone Island approximately 45 minutes away, where a friend administered antibiotic injections to prevent any infection from the bite wounds.
“He was then taken to a local hospital for further treatment for scalp lacerations and puncture wounds to his head and hands,” the hospital service said.
Encountering a crocodile in the water can be a dangerous situation, as they are powerful predators. If you find yourself in an area known to be inhabited by crocodiles, it is important to take immediate action to minimize the risk of an attack, but it is preferable to avoid encroaching on their habitats and never swim alone.
There have been 46 crocodile attacks on humans in Queensland since 1975, including 16 fatal incidents, according to the Queensland government.