A 78-year-old woman was killed after being attacked and dragged by a crocodile while collecting snails with her daughter in a river near Batu Niah on Tuesday.
The victim, identified as Sambai Anggah, was on a boat when the reptile suddenly attacked her and dragged her about 10 metres away. Her daughter, who was in the river nearby, witnessed the horrifying incident.
The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) said the incident occurred near the junction before Suai Bridge, with the daughter reportedly only about a metre away from her mother when the attack happened.
“Her daughter witnessed the crocodile suddenly grab her mother and drag her about 10 metres from the boat,” JBPM Sarawak said in a statement.
Residents who became aware of the incident then surrounded the crocodile, causing it to release the victim. The woman was subsequently brought to the jetty.
JBPM Sarawak said it received an emergency call at 11.26am before five firefighters from the Batu Niah Fire and Rescue Station arrived at the scene about 30 minutes later.
The rescue operation was concluded at 1.45pm, after which the victim’s body was handed over to the police for further action.
The tragic incident once again highlights the dangers faced by communities who depend on rivers and waterways for daily activities, particularly in areas where crocodile sightings are known to occur.
