A police officer in South Africa was lowered into a crocodile-infested river from a helicopter to recover human remains.
In footage shared online, the officer can be seen retrieving a euthanised crocodile, which is believed to have eaten a businessman who was swept away by floodwaters last week.
Capt Johan “Pottie” Potgieter used a rope to secure the reptile, and both were hoisted away from the Komati River in the north-east of the country.
“The sharp-end of a crocodile is not the best place to approach it,” he told the News24 website.
The operation, which was described by police as “highly dangerous and complex”, followed the disappearance of a 59-year-old unnamed man in the area last week.
The man’s car became stranded when he attempted to cross a low bridge in the flooded river.
The vehicle was empty when police arrived at the scene, leading them to suspect that he had been swept away by the water, Col Mavela Masondo, Mpumalanga provincial police spokesman, told the national broadcaster SABC.
Mr Potgieter, who is the commander of a police diving unit, said the authorities used drones and helicopters during the search and noticed a small island where a number of crocodiles were basking in the sun.
He said they could tell from years of experience that one of the animals had recently eaten.
“Besides having a massively full tummy, he didn’t move around or try to slip into the river despite the noise of the drones and the chopper,” he told News24.
The reptile was then killed before Mr Potgieter retrieved it from the water.
The animal, measuring 15ft long and weighing 1,100lb, was flown to the nearby Kruger National Park, where human remains were discovered inside its intestines.
DNA tests will be carried out to confirm whether the remains are those of the missing man.
As well as the body parts, six different types of shoe were found, according to Mr Potgieter.
He said this could indicate it had killed other people, but not necessarily, adding: “A crocodile will eat or swallow anything.”
South Africa’s acting police chief, Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane, praised Mr Potgieter for his bravery.
“Capt Potgieter’s willingness to place his own life at risk, going far beyond the call of duty, reflects the unwavering commitment of SAPS (South African Police Service) members to serve and protect, even in the face of danger that could have cost him his life,” she said. (Telegraph)
