(ANN/THE STAR) – A 15-foot-long crocodile was shot dead by wildlife officers after it killed a plantation worker in the Lahad Datu district on the East coast of Sabah on Thursday (Sept 12).
The victim, identified as Rusdi Tambah, was found in the jaws of the crocodile when authorities shot the reptile at Sungai Matamba, near Jalan Silabukan.
Assistant chief of the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department’s operations centre, Riki Mohan Singh Ramday, reported that the crocodile was located approximately 50 meters from where the victim was last seen during the search and rescue operation.
The search efforts involved personnel from the police, the Fire and Rescue Department, and the state Wildlife Department.
“Wildlife officers fired five shots at the crocodile,” Riki said. “After confirming the reptile was dead, firemen entered the river to recover the victim’s body.”
The body was handed over to the police for further procedures, while the crocodile’s carcass was taken by wildlife authorities. The operation concluded at 1.10pm.
The Fire and Rescue Department had been alerted of the attack earlier in the day, at around 10.07am. An eight-man team was dispatched to the scene, located approximately 40km away, arriving at 11.32am.
According to reports, Rusdi was fishing on the riverbank when the crocodile attacked, dragging him into the water.
