Dad of 4 Attacked by Crocodile in Front of Screaming Onlookers. His Remains Were Later Found About a Mile Away
NEED TO KNOW
A father of four was killed by a crocodile while he was bathing in a river on Aug. 14
The remains of the 53-year-old man were later recovered about a mile away
The man was with his family at the time of the incident
Warning: The link included contains graphic video footage.
A father of four was killed by a crocodile during a horrific scene that took place in front of his family.
The man, identified only as Arifuddin, was swimming in the Bulete River in the South Sulawesi province of Indonesia on Thursday, Aug. 14, at about 6 p.m. local time when the tragedy occurred, according to ViralPress.
Arifuddin, 53, was bathing in the river with relatives when the crocodile bit his leg and dragged him under the water, the news organization reported.
Video of the incident from ViralPress shows the crocodile grabbing onto the man's legs, as several villagers then moved into the water in an attempt to help, while others screamed from the shore nearby.
Emergency workers were called to the scene, and they later located the crocodile — which was still carrying Arifuddin's lifeless body — in muddy, shallow water, ViralPress reported.
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Local residents were eventually able to retrieve Arifuddin's remains. They were then returned to his family for a burial.
Jerry Saputra, a representative from the Pitumpanua Sector Fire Rescue Team, said what was left of Arifuddin was recovered about one mile from where he was initially attacked, according to ViralPress.
PEOPLE reached out to the South Sulawesi provincial government for comment on Saturday, Aug. 16, but did not receive an immediate response.
The Associated Press reported in March that crocodile attacks in Indonesia are on the rise. The outlet said there were 179 crocodile attacks in the country in 2024 — the highest number in the world.
Experts attribute the rise in attacks to the effects of an increase in palm oil plantations in the region, which have created more man-made waterways and have allowed the creatures to move closer inland, per the AP.
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