A hike turned into a nightmare Sunday afternoon in Florida when a 31-year-old woman was fatally attacked by an alligator while swimming in Florida’s Econlockhatchee River.
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Brittany Clark was in the water with her partner and best friend when a large alligator suddenly appeared and attacked her, authorities said.
Her partner tried to free her from the reptile’s grip before calling 911. Despite the rapid intervention of emergency services, the thirty-year-old succumbed to her serious injuries while being transported to the Little Big Econ State Forest hospital.
“They were hiking and just stopped for a swim,” said Chad Weber, spokesperson for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), during a press briefing reported by the New York Post.
A 31-year-old woman was fatally attacked by an alligator while swimming in a river in Florida.
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The investigation carried out so far has not revealed any clue that the animal was provoked before the attack. Police believe instead that the low water level and the territorial behavior of the alligators could have contributed to the tragedy.
In the hours following the incident, two alligators measuring approximately 3.7 and 4 meters were captured near the scene. According to the New York PostDNA analyzes are underway to determine who is responsible for the fatal attack.
“We believe one of them matches the description provided by the witnesses,” said Lt. Grant Eller, adding that results are expected quickly.
A 31-year-old woman was fatally attacked by an alligator while swimming in a river in Florida.
Capture CNN
This tragedy comes as Florida has been the scene of several alligator attacks over the past week. Two other people, a boy and a teenager, were seriously injured in separate incidents.
Wildlife officials point out that alligators’ breeding season, which runs from spring to early summer, makes these reptiles more active and particularly territorial, according to the New York Post.
They recommend that the public use extreme caution near bodies of water in Florida where these animals are present.
