Crocodile Attacked, Body Of 5-Year-Old Boy In Bangka Baru Found

Illustration of crocodile/ Animalium

The joint search and rescue team (SAR) managed to find a missing boy as a result of being attacked by a crocodile while bathing in Bukit Layang Village, Bangka Regency, Bangka Belitung Islands, Sunday morning, January 12, 2024.

Head of the Pangkalpinang SAR Office (Kakansar) I Made Oka Astawa, in a written statement received in Pangkalpinang, said that the missing victim on Saturday, January 11, was found by the joint SAR team floating dead at 05.20 WIB not far from the scene.

"The victim was attacked by the wild predator before," said Oka.

"Furthermore, the team immediately evacuated the victim to the funeral home," he said.

"With the success of finding the victim, the SAR operation against Caca is hereby closed," said Oka.

Previously, a child on behalf of Chaca (5) from Aik Layang Hamlet, Bukit Layang Bangka Village, Bangka Belitung Islands Province, was allegedly missing by a crocodile while bathing in a reservoir or used tin seed mining.

Bukit Layang Village Head Bangka Surono said the incident occurred on Saturday, while the victim was bathing with his parents.

"At that time the victim and her parents were taking a bath, suddenly disappeared and allegedly attacked by a crocodile," he said in Bangka, Saturday.

Meanwhile, Babinsa Bukit Layang Village from the Military District Commander 0413 Bangka Sertu Turahman said based on information from residents the incident occurred at around 10.30 WIB.

"This tragedy is an experience so that people are more careful when carrying out activities, either in the reservoir of former tin seed mines or in rivers," he said.

According to Turahman, crocodiles that are dangerous reptiles have the potential to be in rivers or in reservoirs that are used as tin seed mines. Usually there are residents who fish on the edge of the river in Bukit Layang Village.

"We are still searching for victims using rubber boats and some are looking for them on the edge of the reservoir, because the water condition is estimated to be more than one meter," he said.