We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
A CROCODILE KILLED a Philippine man who was securing his boat as a tropical storm bore down on the western island of Palawan, police said today.
Abdulsalam Binang Amerhasan, 53, went to the river in driving rain on Thursday to tie up his boat, with waters rising as Tropical Storm Tembin closed in, a police report said.
When Amerhasan failed to return home after an hour, his worried wife sought help from neighbours who launched an overnight search, believing he had had an accident, it added.
“The community responded and conduct(ed a) search along the river until they found out that the lifeless body of the victim was still (being) tumultuously bitten by a crocodile,” it added.
Police did not say what happened to the crocodile.
The attack in the fishing town of Bataraza was the third reported since October in Palawan, often called the Philippines’ “last frontier”, and one of the few areas in the country where crocodiles are still common.
Hunting and habitat loss have seen crocodile numbers plummet in other parts of the archipelago.
Last month, a 12-year-old girl was fetching water in a forested area elsewhere on the island when she was dragged away by a crocodile in front of her horrified siblings. Police said the girl has not been found.
In October, a Palawan woman also fetching water was bitten by a crocodile but survived when her niece threw rocks at the huge reptile, successfully driving it away, police said.
The state weather service said Tembin was expected to hit Balabac and Bataraza late Saturday after killing more than 100 people on the main southern island of Mindanao.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
… and I wonder, if they did, would the Filipinos write belittling letters to their online newspapers about it.
@MurtyMac: not belittling the death at all. Tragic loss of life. Just wondering why Irish media are reporting on this.
Fully expect to see responses like ‘well you don’t have to read articles on a free site…set up your own site’ blah blah blah.
@Onion Knight: oh stop…
@Onion Knight: Was there myself last year so I had an interest. Maybe if you spent less time commenting on articles that dont interest you you’d find more articles that do interest you? Or in your words – “blah blah blah”.
I wonder if the Philippines media reports on tragic losses of life in Ireland.
@Onion Knight: If someone was eaten by a crocodile in Ireland I would imagine that would be big news!
@Coco86: If crocodile’s were common in Ireland I’d doubt it though.
@Onion Knight: what’s your point. You don’t have to read it. I found it interesting
@Onion Knight: so right..pointless news
Imagine being caught in a killer storm and then being eaten by a crocodile poor man.
I ate a crocodile once…tastes like chicken.
@Mary Murphy: the whole thing? Bless your appetite!
@Declan Hegarty: what does crocodile taste like?
@oh i dunno: chicken
One of the most beautiful islands In Asia.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/philippines/palawan/el-nido
Horrific. The poor man. Hope it was a quick death. Jesus…the thoughts of it.
Many years ago I was driving with a friend in Tanzania. We came to a bridge which was flooded so we started to push the car off the bridge. I happened to glance back and saw a crocodile heading rapidly for his lunch which was me. I jumped on to the roof of the car like an Olympic athlete. The crocodile glanced at me for a while and then he went off to a different lunch. That was the closest to death that I have been so far. Maybe I do have a guardian angel after all.
RIP, I can image very few good ways to bow out but being eaten, alive. Thats fxcked
have your say