Cape York Crocodile Attack: Australian Man Forcefully Opens Reptile’s Jaws Locked on His Head to Survive

A crocodile attack occurred last week off the northern coast of Queensland, Australia, where a snorkeler was able to survive by forcefully opening the reptile's jaws locked on his head.

Local reports said this is the fifth crocodile attack in the country in the past two months. While some previous cases did not end well, the latest attack resulted in a favorable outcome on the side of the Australian snorkeler.

The attack was reported to have transpired in the open sea just off the coast of Cape York in the far northern part of the Australian state. The victim is none other than 55-year-old Marcus McGowan, who was reportedly in the area with his wife and friends. The Australian man initially thought what bit him from behind was a shark but it turned out to be something else.

This year alone, multiple crocodile attacks have been reported across Australia, especially in Queensland, where the reptiles can be found both in shallow or open waters near the coast. The most common victims of such encounters involve locals involved in activities like fishing, swimming, and snorkeling, resulting in either deaths or injuries.

Cape York Crocodile Attack

The predator involved in the Cape York incident was a saltwater crocodile that attacked McGowan multiple times on Saturday, May 27.

The first attack mentioned earlier ended when the McGowan "pried" open the crocodile's jaws and found a small opening but enough to free his head from its tight grip, Fox News reported, citing from The Guardian. The second attack occurred when the man was fleeing to a rescue boat but was bitten on his hand after scaring off the pursuing croc.

In the report, McGowan said in a statement that he realized it was a crocodile, describing it was likely at a young age with a length of 2 to 3 meters or 6 to 10 feet. He also acknowledged the potential risks of encountering dangerous animals like sharks and crocodiles once entering the marine environment.

McGowan, a resident of the Gold Coast, was transported to a hospital 45 minutes away for treatment of his wounds. The incident happened on Haggerston Island in the middle of Cape York, according to 9 News Australia.

Recent Australian Crocodile Attacks

Australia is no stranger to bizarre yet dangerous animals, let alone wild crocodiles. It is for this reason that several crocodile encounters have occurred in previous years.

In early May, a missing fisherman's body in Queensland was found inside a crocodile. The man suddenly vanished while fishing with his friends at Kennedy Bend, which is a well-known habitat of saltwater crocodiles, the BBC reported.

In mid-May, a female tourist sustained injuries after being bitten by a saltwater crocodile in a remote part of northwestern Australia. The incident occurred in an area of Kimberley Creek near Gumboot Bay, Australia's ABC News reported.