Khaberni - A horrifying incident occurred at one of the rivers in Indonesia, when a huge crocodile attacked a 14-year-old boy while he was washing clothes, shocking his friends and younger brother who witnessed the dreadful incident with their own eyes.
In turn, local officials said the crocodile rushed out of the water, grabbed the boy, Mohammad Raafli Hamza, and carried him away from the riverbank before disappearing into the depths of the water, according to "The Sun".
A widespread search operation was launched, involving relatives, volunteers, and rescue teams. After hours of searching, the boy's body was found about 200 meters from the initial attack site, with multiple bite marks, according to the police chief of Kolono, Ibeda Ali Mudin Latif.
On his part, the spokesperson for the search and rescue team confirmed that the body was retrieved through joint efforts between the police and civil defense, warning residents to avoid approaching the river to prevent similar incidents.
Reason for Attacks
The Indonesian archipelago is home to more than 14 types of crocodiles, including large and aggressive saltwater crocodiles.
Environmental experts indicate that overhunting and the loss of natural habitats due to agricultural development and residential changes, along with intensive mining, have driven these crocodiles away from their natural habitats and closer to villages, thereby increasing the risks of their attacks on humans, especially as local residents continue to use rivers for washing and traditional fishing practices.
Similar Incidents Raise Concerns
The incident involving Mohammad Raafli is not the first of its kind, as another child named Affan, 10 years old, died following a crocodile attack while swimming with friends in the Ingoy River in North Maluku Province last December.
This region is a known hotspot for crocodiles, locally known as "swamp crocodiles".
