A crocodile handler at Adventure Park in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, died on Sunday after being attacked and dragged into an enclosure while attempting to feed the reptile, according to local reports from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC News), 1News, and RNZ.
The Fatal Encounter at Port Moresby Adventure Park
The worker, whose identity has not been publicly released by authorities, was inside a fenced enclosure on Saturday when the crocodile lunged, catching his legs in its jaws and pulling him into the water. Eyewitness accounts gathered by ABC News indicate that the handler was carrying out feeding duties when the attack occurred.
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Visitors and staff rushed to the perimeter, watching in horror as the ordeal unfolded. According to eyewitness Gibson John, speaking to ABC News, bystanders attempted to assist by offering a fence pole and later providing physical support from the pool’s edge, though immediate rescue was impossible.
“He brought the chicken to the fence and the crocodile attacked the person and tried to bring him into the pool,” Mr. John told ABC News. “We couldn’t assist at that time, [but] I managed to contact the St John’s Ambulance.”
A Prolonged Ordeal and Emergency Response
Security guards at Adventure Park lacked guns, providing the trapped handler with only a small iron rod to use while waiting for professional rescue services to arrive. Eyewitnesses reported that the crocodile maintained its grip on the worker’s legs for more than an hour.
Police officers ultimately intervened, shooting the crocodile to free the handler from the enclosure. Emergency responders from St John’s Ambulance transported the severely injured man to 3 Mile General Hospital. Medical staff fought to save him, but he succumbed to his injuries the following morning, passing away at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday.
According to reports from ABC News, the victim had been employed at Adventure Park for approximately two years and hailed from the Western Islands in northern Papua New Guinea. Park management confirmed that the facility features regular crocodile feeding demonstrations where staff interact closely with the reptiles.
Operational Shutdown and Local Grief
In the wake of the tragedy, Adventure Park has closed its doors to the general public until further notice. Staff members who witnessed the attack gathered at a local funeral home to mourn their colleague, as reported by ABC News.
