Florida Man Lucky to be Alive After Violent Crocodile Attack

A visitor to Everglades National Park had quite the rough Sunday afternoon on March 10. After his sailboat capsized in Flamingo Marina, he tried to swim to shore only to be met by a hungry crocodile.

The National Park Service confirmed to WPLG that the 68-year-old man was swimming to safety with his boat when he was seen going underwater. Park rangers rescued him and treated him for a cut on his leg before he was airlifted to a local hospital for further treatment.

"He was able to right his boat and was swimming towards the dock with it, and he went underwater a little bit, and people had seen the crocodile approaching," Allyson Gantt, a ranger at Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks, told WPLG. She noted that it was likely reacting to a new presence in its habitat.

"We have both the American alligator and the American crocodile here, and human and animal interactions like that are extremely rare, but they are wild animals," she added. "We certainly hope the individual makes a full recovery."

The National Park Service, with the help of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, is looking into what happened and keeping an eye on the reptile in question.

"Rangers and park biologists are continuing to investigate the incident and monitor the suspected crocodile, which is easily identifiable," a NPS news release stated.

"While the park is a safe place to visit, we remind visitors to stay alert and exercise caution, especially around wildlife," the NPS continued. "Swimming or wading is prohibited in all canals, ponds, freshwater lakes, marked channels, and boat basins in Everglades National Park."

Talk about a double whammy.