On the morning of Thursday, June 19, a tragic encounter unfolded off the shores of Lahad Datu in Sabah. A young Malaysian boy was out in a canoe with his father, who was fishing nearby, when disaster struck—a crocodile suddenly attacked the child. According to eyewitnesses, the father bravely fought to free his son from the powerful jaws of the beast. Despite his courageous efforts, the father sustained serious injuries all over his body and required urgent help from bystanders to escape the water.
Sumsoa Rashid, head of the Lahad Datu Fire and Rescue Agency, revealed the grim situation: “The father suffered severe head and body injuries. His son remains missing as search operations continue around the clock. The injured man is now receiving treatment at Lahad Datu Hospital.”
Sumsoa emphasized the perilous reality faced by locals: “Many residents depend on the river for food and their livelihood, so they often have to enter these dangerous waters. We have issued warnings urging everyone to exercise extreme caution, as the crocodile is believed to still be lurking in the area.”
The Royal Malaysian Police have launched an intensive search for the missing boy’s body, battling against the unforgiving river and the shadow of the lurking predator.
Though crocodile attacks are rare, when they occur, they are often deadly. A haunting reminder comes from Australia in 2022, when authorities were forced to shoot a crocodile after it attacked a 38-year-old woman swimming in Butler Cove at Lake Argyle. The crocodile was labeled a “problem animal” after aggressive behavior endangered the community.
The Department of Biodiversity and Conservation explained, “The crocodile’s approach to boats and prior aggressive incidents marked it as a threat. To protect public safety—especially with large events like the annual Lake Argyle swim imminent—we had no choice but to destroy the animal.”
This tragic incident in Sabah serves as a stark warning of the ongoing risks faced by communities living alongside nature’s most fearsome creatures—and the desperate need for vigilance and safety measures to protect lives.
