Fisherman Almost Dies After Crocodile Clamps Jaws Around His Head
A fisherman narrowly avoided death after a crocodile clamped its jaws around his head.
Joshua Young had been spearfishing in a popular tourist snorkelling spot down the road from his home on the island of Caye Caulker, Belize, on 8 April when he had the near-death encounter with the croc.
The bartender was swimming under water when he felt what he thought was a canoe brush past his body - but the next thing he knew, two powerful jaws had latched on to his head.
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"It took me a few seconds to realise 'Oh sh*t, it's a crocodile,'" the 28-year-old recalled.
"It didn't hurt, I was too shocked. I was just thinking 'What the f*ck?'"
Joshua was now embroiled in a battle for his life with the reptile, which tried to execute a death roll, used to kill off its prey.
Joshua said: "I had to swim back up current with the crocodile still latched onto my head. I was holding it with my hand trying to hold it still so it didn't shake or try to roll. The whole time it was trying to roll.
"I managed to get into the shallow part and kick my fins off because I couldn't stand up. I struggled back to shore with it still latched on.
"When I got to shore it was on my head and I pried it off. I can't describe how much it took for me to open its mouth.
"I got its mouth open ever so slightly to get my head out but it clamped down on my hand and I thought, 'Sh*t, this is hurting,' and if didn't get my hand out, I was going to be screwed and lose my fingers.
"I pried its mouth open and pulled my fingers out and it dropped to the ground. Then it tried to latch on to the side of my body. Luckily, I had a wetsuit on but it completely tore that off and not my skin. I ran away."
Having somehow escaped, Joshua rushed to the nearest medical clinic in a taxi, but said he lost consciousness on the way there and was carried in by the driver.
Medics were wary that he may have a fractured skull, so he was airlifted to a hospital in Belize City, where he was rushed into surgery.
He hadn't escaped death yet though, as his heart stopped due to blood loss.
Josh recalled: "I had nine fractured fingers, a gnarly scar across my full head, there were bite marks and lacerations on my head. My head was absolutely opened. It was bad.
"They didn't want to stitch it because they didn't know if the skull was cracked. It'd bitten straight through my nose so there was a hole and I couldn't breathe."
His friends have since started a GoFundMe to help cover his medical bills.
Clearly, he was extremely lucky to get out alive, and he's not sure whether he fancies returning to the water.
He said: "I haven't been back in the water yet so I don't know how I would feel.
"I feel like I've had a near death experience.
"I never expected it to happen there. It's where everyone goes swimming or fishing and tourists and families go there. I was very surprised because I've never heard of a crocodile or shark attack there."
Jake Massey