Sandakan teenager mauled by crocodile while swimming

KOTA KINABALU: A 13-year-old boy almost ended up falling prey to a crocodile when swimming at a river in Sandakan on Monday (Sept 10) afternoon.

Arsil Alkamal and his friend were taking a dip at the Seguntor river near their house at Kg Melayu when a crocodile attacked him at 12.30pm.

He was dragged further into the river but luckily, his friend screamed and villagers nearby quickly jumped in to save him.

They managed to make the reptile let go of its grip on Arsil before pulling him away to safety.

The crocodile, measuring about 2.7m (8ft) long, swam away after that.

Arsil suffered multiple wounds on his body and leg and was immediately taken to the Duchess of Kent Hospital for treatment.

Sandakan police chief Asst Comm Azhar Hamin said the boy was given 15 stitches on his right chest, four at his back, five on his thigh and two on his knee.

"The wounds are deep and serious but the boy is now reported to be in stable condition," he said when contacted.

It is learnt that villagers had known that there were crocodiles in the river but this is the first attack there.

Wildlife rangers are expected to head to the river to install traps in a bid to catch the crocodile on Tuesday (Sept 11) morning.