Tourist eaten by a crocodile while snorkelling in Indonesia
A saltwater crocodile in Papua New Guinea (Picture: Alamy)
A tourist snorkelling in the clear waters of Indonesia has been mauled to death by a crocodile.
The body of Sergey Lykhvar, 37, was spotted floating in the sea off West Papua, in the east of the country bordering Papua New Guinea.
A large saltwater crocodile was spotted swimming behind him when rescuers tried to save him on Tuesday.
‘We believe he was killed by a crocodile judging from the missing body parts and the extent of his injuries,’ lead rescuer Prasetyo Budiarto said.
Pic shows: Sergey Lyhvar. A Russian scuba diver has been killed by a crocodile in Indonesia. Sergey Lykhvar, 37 was mauled to death by a saltwater crocodile on the Raja Ampat archipelago. His savaged body was found on the coastline of one of the islands - four days after he went missing. Representatives of the Russian Embassy in Indonesia are currently looking for the manís relatives. Head of the local rescue service Pracetuo Budiarto said: "We believe that this man was attacked by a crocodile. "The body had one hand missing. There was a defined bite on the manís left hip." The Raja Ampat archipelago is a popular destination among tourists. The area is known for its bveautiful scenery and amazing flora and fauna. It is particularly popular with scuba divers and snorkelers. Attacks by saltwater crocodiles are not uncommon in areas, like Indonesia and Australia, they are native. (ends)
Sergey Lyhva (Picture: CEN)
DN6766 Arborek fisherman boat, North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia
North Raja Ampat in West Papua (Picture: Alamy)
He was reported missing a day after leaving to snorkel around the Minyaifun island. This time he had been alone, although he normally snorkeled with guides or friends.
When he was found, he was said to have his hand missing and bite marks on his hip in an area of the ocean known to be rocky and isolated, with strong currents.
Pic shows: Sergey Lyhvar. A Russian scuba diver has been killed by a crocodile in Indonesia. Sergey Lykhvar, 37 was mauled to death by a saltwater crocodile on the Raja Ampat archipelago. His savaged body was found on the coastline of one of the islands - four days after he went missing. Representatives of the Russian Embassy in Indonesia are currently looking for the manís relatives. Head of the local rescue service Pracetuo Budiarto said: "We believe that this man was attacked by a crocodile. "The body had one hand missing. There was a defined bite on the manís left hip." The Raja Ampat archipelago is a popular destination among tourists. The area is known for its bveautiful scenery and amazing flora and fauna. It is particularly popular with scuba divers and snorkelers. Attacks by saltwater crocodiles are not uncommon in areas, like Indonesia and Australia, they are native. (ends)
Sergey Lyhvar in Bali (Picture: CEN)
‘We are still communicating with the Russian embassy. From what I’ve heard his family would come to pick up his ashes in Indonesia,’ Budiarto said.
Saltwater crocodile attacks in Indonesia and Australia, where they are a native species, are not uncommon. The predators are considered extremely dangerous.
Adult males can grow to more than five metres (16 feet) long.