Fisherman escapes death from a crocodile attack

What started as a normal day for Emmanuel Boniface at Shire River near Hippo View Lodge in Liwonde turned out to be a nightmare after he was caught by a crocodile, injuring him in the process.

Speaking from  his sick bed at Machinga District Hospital, Boniface said he met his fate on Saturday afternoon around 4:00 pm as he went out for fishing in the river.

“I have been fishing for over two years but I have never met such kind of an accident. I was catching fish using the net. Then I decided to check if there were some fish in the net. Few seconds later I discovered that something had held my right leg.

“I knew that it could be a crocodile and that I would die. I cried out for help but nobody came to rescue me because people were afraid of the beast,” Boniface explained.

He added, “It dragged me to a distance of 10 metres from where it found me and deep in the river. Lucky enough I held on to a pipe which takes water for irrigation at Hippo View Lodge. I managed to come out whist asking people to bring a Panga knife which I had left before I went into water.

“That time, the crocodile was still holding my leg. Someone brought the Panga knife and I started hacking the beast right away in the waters whilst holding on to the pipe with my left arm. Later on I think after feeling pain it released my leg and someone came with the engine boat to take me out of the water,” explained Boniface.

The victim was taken to the hospital immediately as he had sustained three deep cuts on his legs but he did not sustain any fracture.

Boniface, who stays in Liwonde, says he will still go for fishing once he gets better because he has no any other business from which to feed his family.

“If I can find something to do I can stop [fishing], but as of now I do not have anything to do. Once I get better, I will go back to my fishing job,” he said.

This is the third crocodile attack in Liwonde this year (2018) alone after another fisherman was injured and a young boy also killed earlier.

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