Croc attack: Northern Territory teen battles 5.4metre crocodile
How a brave teen fought off a giant crocodile that tried to devour him alive – and did all he could to defeat the ruthless man-eater that led to his death
- Zefha Butcher attacked on Northern Territory beach
- The 5.4 meter crocodile had its jaws around its waist
- Zefha poked the reptile in the eye and escaped
An Australian teenager has relived the terrifying moment when he was trapped in the jaws of a 5.4m crocodile, but saved himself from certain death by stabbing it in the eye to escape.
The man-eating beast was later tracked down and identified by the fingerprint in its eye before being killed by rangers.
Zefha Butcher, 19, was fishing in the waters off Malkala Outstation Beach, Northern Territory, with his 10-year-old brother and adult cousin Travis at around 8pm when he was attacked.
The trio were wading through the murky waters when the 19-year-old sensed the presence of a crocodile after the fish they were trying to catch suddenly disappeared.
Zefha Butcher, 19, (right) was fishing in the waters off Malkala Outstation Beach, Northern Territory, when a crocodile clamped its jaws on his waist
“When we first walked into the water, I saw some fish swimming, then there were many fish everywhere, and then they disappeared,” Zefha said. NT News.
Groote Eylandt’s teen said he felt a ‘bump’ on the back of his leg before the crocodile clamped its jaws on its waist and attempted to perform a death roll.
“It was hard, like being hit by a car. Then it grabbed me at the top of my waist between my hipbone and thigh and tried to lift me out of the water and then throw me into the water in a fatal toss,” Zefha said.
Zefha said the crocodile tried to roll with him between his jaws but couldn’t lift him because he was too big.
However, the crocodile didn’t let go and kept trying to drag Zefha into the water.
Zefha’s brother and cousin rushed to the safety of the bank and ran for help as Zefha continued his battle with the mammoth reptile.
The quick-thinking teen twisted his body between the crocodile’s jaws and positioned himself so he could stab the reptile in the eye.
“It took a few tries, but I was able to come with my thumb first and he wouldn’t let go, then I got him an eye with my finger and he opened his mouth,” said Zefha.
Bleeding from bite marks on his legs, thighs and hand, Zehfa reached the coast where his father drove him 200km to Gove Hospital in his LandCruiser.
Zefha was able to twist his body and position himself between the crocodile’s jaws so that he could poke the reptile in the eyes. The 5.4-meter-long crocodile was later caught and killed after rangers identified its damaged eye (pictured)
The teen’s treatment consisted mainly of wound sterilization and he was sent home earlier this month after several days in hospital.
Rangers caught and killed the 18-foot crocodile near Milkala Beach just days after the attack — after identifying the crocodile by the white finger mark in its eye.
“He (the crocodile) had killed dogs that came to the water and were big,” said Zefha.
Relatives and locals have dubbed the young man a hero after he put the well-being of his cousin and brother before himself, showing his determination to survive.