Rescuers from Darwin, Australia, rescued a 72-year-old man who had been trapped in a mangrove at the Leaders Creek for little more than 3 hours. Ian Badham, director of the helicopter medical retrieval service, CareFlight, said that his team had received an emergency call from a group of professional fishermen. Authorities have not given the names of the tourists.
Everything started as a simple trip on a 3-meter aluminum boat for the 2 Australians. They came from the city of Bendigo, and they wanted to take a look at some crab traps they had set before. When they were close to the crab pots, a huge crocodile emerged from the water and bit the little vessel turning it upside down. The 72-year-old man quickly reacted and made his way to the top of the boat, but the other man, who was in his 50’s, could not react in time and was trapped under the boat, he eventually drowned.
The 72-year-old man quickly reacted and made his way to the top of the boat, but the other man, who was in his 50’s, could not react in time and was trapped under the boat, he eventually drowned.
Even though the survivor never talked to the press, the rescue team that took him to the hospital heard his story. He told the aid crew that after getting on board of the upside down boat, he used a spanner as a club to hit the animals in the skull. He also used spark plugs as projectiles to keep the animals at bay long enough to get high into a mangrove. Professional crabbers who were in the area heard him shout and immediately helped him and recovered the lifeless body of his friend from the water before reporting the emergency.
The survivor was taken to the Darwin Hospital where he was treated for shock, but later that day, he was released.
According to ABC news, the name of the disease is Noel Ramage. He was from Bendigo in Victoria and he was with an older friend on vacation when the incident occurred. This information was corroborated by members of the Kangaroo Flat Rotary Club in Victoria. Mr. Ramage was a member of said club.
Source: New York Times