A South African police officer was dramatically airlifted into a crocodile-infested river during a high-risk operation to retrieve a reptile suspected of eating a missing businessman, according to BBC News.
Captain Johan Potgieter, a veteran member of the South African Police Service diving unit, said he was lowered from a helicopter into the flooded Komati River after search teams identified a large crocodile believed to have attacked the missing man.
The businessman disappeared after attempting to drive across a flooded low-water bridge. Police later found his abandoned vehicle, prompting an extensive search operation involving drones and helicopters.
Authorities eventually located several crocodiles on a small island in the river, with one reptile becoming the focus of the investigation.
“The crocodile itself was lying on an island… there really was no other way to get to it except from the air,” Potgieter told BBC News.
The crocodile, measuring about 4.5 metres long and weighing around 500kg, had reportedly been shot earlier by police officers. However, it later moved, raising fears that it was still alive.
Potgieter said the dangerous river conditions made it impossible to use boats because of the presence of other crocodiles, hippos and rocks hidden beneath the floodwaters.
“There were other crocodiles next to that one that were probably there because of the blood in the water,” he said, adding that the helicopter’s noise and downdraft helped drive them away during the operation.
Once suspended above the river, Potgieter had no communication with the helicopter pilot and was forced to continue with the mission exactly as planned.
“When I was hanging there, there was no way for me to communicate with the pilot,” he said. “I had to stick to the plan.”
The officer eventually tied a rope around the crocodile and confirmed it was dead.
“Then I knew it was 100% dead. Because if it wasn’t, it would have definitely attacked me,” he said.
According to local reports, human remains and shoes were later discovered inside the reptile. DNA tests are now being carried out to confirm the identity of the remains.
South Africa’s acting police chief later praised Potgieter’s “extraordinary bravery”, describing the mission as highly dangerous and complex.
Despite nearly four decades in the police service, Potgieter said the mission was unlike anything he had experienced before.
“This was definitely a first and hopefully it will also be the last time,” he said.