Two kayakers were left horrified after their friend was pulled from his boat and eaten by a ‘15 foot' crocodile in a terrifying incident caught on camera.
The awful attack took place as Americans Chris Korbulic and Ben Stookesberry were kayaking down the Congo’s Lukuga River with friend Hendri Coetzee in 2010.
All three members of the group were world-class kayakers, so they teamed up with the goal of becoming the first ever people to boat the Lukuga River’s whitewater.
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Knowing that crocodile or hippo attacks weren't out of the question in the area, the three kayakers had been sticking together and were just ‘four or five’ feet apart when the animal struck.
Recalling the incident, Korbulic explained: “I glanced over and just in my periphery I saw the crocodile come out of the water, and he got onto Hendri's left side - just the left shoulder with its mouth.”
Speaking to the Associated Press back in 2010, the kayaker added: “The crocodile just pulled him right underwater. I think we both were just in complete shock and disbelief, and absolutely horrified at what had just happened."
The group were cruising down a stretch of water approximately 100 feet wide when the attack took place, with Coetzee in the centre, Stookesberry up front on the left and Korbulic only slightly behind him.
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The two surviving kayakers watched as Coetzee’s boat capsized and shook for about 20 seconds as the crocodile wrenched Coetzee from his seat.
Recognising that they were unable to help, the two Americans quickly paddled downstream to a village where residents told them the croc was likely ‘15 feet long and two tonnes in weight’.
After arriving at the nearby village Korbulic and Stookesberry were caught on camera radioing for help, with the latter saying: “This is Ben, can you hear me? We’ve had a terrible accident here. Hendri just got taken by a crocodile.”
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Shortly after the attack, Coetzee's kayak was found floating down the river. There wasn't a scratch on it, but Coetzee's body has never been found and he’s presumed dead.
Stookesberry recalled being 'stunned' when the scene unfolded, saying, per Men's Journal: "When I heard Hendri scream, “Oh my God,” the front of the jaws were coming down on him and they were as big as his torso. It just frickin’ stunned me... Then we saw Hendri’s boat floating downstream and went after it, seeing if there was anything in it. There was no sign."
In 2013 the story of Coetzee's death was told in the National Geographic documentary, Man-Eater of The Congo.
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Footage of the moment Coetzee was attacked was also included, though the exact moment the crocodile attacked was not shown.
Topics: Animals, World News
Emily Brown