Crocodile Attack Kills Swimmer in the Mary River
When 26 year old Sean Cole and a friend attended a birthday party in the Darwin area of Australia, neither really thought it might be life threatening. That is, until alcohol clouded better judgement and warning signs ignored when Sea and a friend decided to cool off and swim across the muddy Mary River. Locals know that swimming in the river almost guarantees an encounter with a croc by 95%. The 250 ft. wide river is a haven for salt water crocs.
The two men managed to swim across with no problems but it was on the way back that Sean met a 16 ft., 1400 lb. crocodile that attacked savagely snatching Sean between scissor-like teeth. The croc crushed the man's chest and took him under. Seconds later, witnesses saw in horror the croc taking Sean down river for a meal. Crocs usually take their victim under to drown them before eating them. But the jaws can crush, much like a great white shark.
Sean's chewed up body was found floating and park rangers also found the killer crocodile and shot it. Rangers warn anyone near the shoreline to not go in above the knee because the crocs are known to lunge and rocket out of the water with no warning for prey.
The region has over 100,000 crocs because in 1971, they became a protected species