A crocodile attack at a wildlife park in Papua New Guinea turned fatal after a handler was dragged into an enclosure while attempting to feed the animal.
The worker was attacked Saturday afternoon at Adventure Park in Port Moresby, the country’s capital, while trying to give a crocodile a chicken. Horrifying footage from the scene shows him clinging to the edge of the pool as the animal held onto his legs and pulled him toward the water.
He remained trapped in the crocodile’s jaws for more than an hour before being freed and taken to hospital. He died from his injuries on Sunday morning, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Witnesses describe a terrifying struggle
Eyewitness Gibson John said the worker had brought the chicken toward the fence when the crocodile suddenly attacked.
“He brought the chicken to the fence and the crocodile attacked the person and tried to bring him into the pool,” John said, according to reports.
The victim appeared to be in extreme pain but was unable to scream or speak normally.
“He was in severe pain but he couldn’t scream. He couldn’t speak properly at that time,” John said. “It was the pain I could see from his eyes.”
John said the only words he could clearly hear from the injured man were: “I haven’t done anything wrong.”
A large crowd had gathered at the park when the attack occurred. Video from the scene shows the handler desperately holding onto the side of the pool while a bystander offered him a pole to help him resist the crocodile.
Another person later grabbed the worker’s arms from the edge of the enclosure as he could be heard groaning in pain.
Police reportedly shot the crocodile before the man could be pulled free. Visitors were then escorted from the park as emergency crews responded to the incident.
Worker later died in hospital
The injured man was transported by St John Ambulance to 3 Mile General Hospital.
John was later told that the worker, who came from the Western Islands in northern Papua New Guinea, had lost a leg before being taken to hospital.
The man had worked at Adventure Park for approximately two years, according to ABC.
Despite the efforts to save him, he died from his injuries on Sunday morning.
The tragedy deeply affected staff at the park. Adventure Park was closed until further notice, while employees gathered at a funeral home on Sunday.
Park known for crocodile feeding demonstrations
Adventure Park regularly stages crocodile feeding demonstrations in which staff interact closely with the animals.
Papua New Guinea’s official tourism website describes the attraction as a “premier family attraction” offering rides, wildlife, gardens and outdoor activities.
The fatal attack has now brought renewed attention to the risks involved in close interactions between handlers and large crocodiles.
For those at the park that afternoon, however, the incident was far more immediate and devastating: a routine feeding demonstration had turned into a desperate fight for a worker’s life, witnessed by a crowd gathered just feet away.