Crocodile drags caretaker into water at Papua New Guinea park, shot dead in rescue

A crocodile caretaker at a well-known adventure park in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, suffered a near-fatal attack while feeding the animal chicken, in an incident caught on video that has since gone viral.

According to eyewitnesses, the caretaker, who had cared for the crocodile for years, was feeding it chicken as usual when the large crocodile turned on him instead, clamping its jaws around his legs and dragging him into the water. The viral video shows the helpless caretaker clinging to the edge of the pond as both his legs remained locked in the crocodile's mouth. Park security guards and bystanders tried to distract the crocodile using an iron rod, but the attempt failed. Eyewitnesses said the caretaker kept repeating one thing throughout the ordeal: "I did nothing wrong."

A rescue team, St John Ambulance and local police arrived at the scene soon after the incident was reported, and tourists present at the park were evacuated immediately. When repeated attempts failed to make the crocodile release the caretaker, police decided to shoot it. The caretaker was pulled to safety after the crocodile died. He suffered severe injuries to his legs and was taken by ambulance to 3 Mile General Hospital, where doctors are treating him. Footage of the incident has been circulating widely on social media, with many reacting to the safety concerns it raises.