Fisherman dies after croc attack in Palawan
MANILA, Philippines - A crocodile estimated to be 15 feet long reportedly killed a fisherman who went diving for sea cucumbers off Bataraza, Palawan late Thursday evening.
Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Palawan district commander, said the crocodile bit the stomach of Rommel Siplan of Sitio Taratak, Barangay Rio Tuba in Bataraza.
The PCG said that Siplan left their house at around 6 p.m. last May 22 to gather sea cucumbers.
Evangelista said they do not know the exact time when the crocodile attacked the victim.
At around 11:35 p.m., the crew of a PCG small craft DF 332 that was anchored near Barangay Rio Tuba spotted an empty boat floating on the river.
The crewmen trained their flashlights onat the boat and saw the eyes of a crocodile glowing beside it.
It was at this juncture that they noticed that the reptile was biting the torso of the victim.
“Siplan’s foot was tied to the boat. He might have tied the rope when he went swimming for sea cucumbers to avoid losing his boat. My men described the crocodile to be about 15 feet long, it was longer than a boat that could carry three passengers,†said Evangelista.
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