Carl Michael Diaz, 47, a fisherman of Benque Viejo Del Carmen, Cayo District, died after he was attacked and dragged under water by a crocodile while he was fishing in the water in an area in Lords Bank, at about 3:00 p.m. Monday afternoon.

A resident of the Spanish Town area, Lords Bank, told police that at about 3:00 p.m. on Monday, he was walking in the area, about to go fishing, when he heard a noise coming from the water channel. He went to see what was happening and that was when he saw a man being attacked and dragged under water by a large crocodile.

The man immediately began to make noise to distract the crocodile, which released the man and disappeared in the water.

Diaz’s body was later recovered by police. According to the police officers, they located the body of Diaz around 4:00 p.m. Monday afternoon about 900 feet southwest of the Green Estate property in Lords Bank. He was lying face-down in the water, and his right foot was almost severed, they said. The officers also observed that there was a huge, irregular wound on his right leg, and there were three bite marks on his left foot. Diaz was taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival at about 6:00 p.m. Monday evening.

An autopsy will be done to determine the cause of his death.

Initial reports to Amandala on Monday were that Diaz may have been fishing in a swampy area in Lords Bank when the crocodile came from behind and attacked him.

It is expected that the crocodile will be hunted and killed before it attacks another person.