A young boy has lost his arm after he was attacked by a crocodile on a fishing trip in South Africa.
Johandre Blom, 7, was in the shallows of the Roodekopjes Dam, near Brits, on Friday when he was suddenly dragged under the water.
His parents were alerted to the surprise attack by the screams of his friend Dylan, 9, who was desperately trying to hold on to Johandré’s arm to keep him from being pulled under again.
Johandre’s father Corné rushed into the water to grab the boy who had been spun around in a death roll by the “massive” reptile thought to be three-metres-long.
Jannie Bekker, Dylan’s father, helped pull the boy from the water. Describing the attack in the Kormorant newspaper, he said: “Dylan screamed and grabbed Johandré trying to pull him away from the crocodile.
“By this time the crocodile had already spun Johandré around three times. Corné is a big man, and while he was holding onto Johandré, he was also spun around.”
Mr Bekker said that when Corné lifted Johandré out of the water, they saw that his “little arm was gone.”
“I grabbed Johandrè and pulled him aside. There were towels lying nearby that I took and pressed to the wound. I then ran to the car with him”, he told Maroela Media.
“Amanda had already gotten into the car and was shouting ‘bring my child'”.
One of Johandré’s friends took a boat back onto the water to see if he could recover his friend’s arm, and the crocodile attacked again. The reptile has not yet been caught by authorities, a family spokesman said.
A fundraiser for Johandré’s hospital bills is looking to raise one million South African Rand (£42,000).
Organiser Juan van der Merwe told The Independent that Johandré had only just awoken from a medically induced coma as his parents Corné and Amanda kept a close watch at his hospital bed.
He said: “Johandré is a very strong boy. The whole time he was waiting for an ambulance he was conscious. He is so brave. He loves fishing and going outdoors and has always been a happy child.
“A crocodile that size could kill an adult. It’s a miracle he survived.”
To donate to Johandré’s hospital bills, please click here.
