Croc mauls boy to death in Sabah river

 

Policemen retrieving the remains of the boy who was attacked by a crocodile in Lahad Datu.

KOTA KINABALU: An eight-year-old boy was killed in a suspected crocodile attack at a river in Sabah’s east coast Lahad Datu district today.

This is the second such attack in a week in the state.

Last week, a boy was lucky to escape alive after a crocodile lunged and snapped at him while he was looking for clams with friends in Tuaran.

However, the boy was not so fortunate in the 1.30pm incident today at Kampung Sabah Baru.

The victim was said to be swimming in a river at the village with a friend of the same age when the crocodile pounced on him.

Lahad Datu police chief Rohan Shah Ahmad said the friend immediately scurried to the victim’s house some 20m away to alert the father.

Rohan said police were informed soon after and subsequently the Fire and Rescue Department was also called in to help with the search operation.

About two hours later, the search team found the boy’s body floating not far from where the attack happened.

“The victim suffered serious injuries to the stomach and chest,” he said, adding the body had been sent to the district hospital for a post-mortem. - FMT