Huge crowds line the road as the Costa Rican soccer player, eaten by a crocodile, is buried
- Jesus Alberto Lopez Ortiz was devoured by a crocodile while cooling off in water
- The father-of-two was taking a dip in a Costa Rican river when he was attacked
A huge crowd lined the streets in Costa Rica to escort the coffin of soccer player Jesus Lopez Ortiz who was attacked by a crocodile while taking a dip in the river to cool off.
Crowds can be seen clapping and cheering, carrying some instruments and white balloons, as a silver van holding the fallen athlete slowly moves forward during the nighttime procession in Guanacaste province.
The mourners then followed the vehicle to an event where loved ones held aloft his trophies and portraits as they comforted each other.
“Today we said goodbye to you “Chucho”; today about a thousand people join you representing all your friends, family and the whole country that was with you,” Deportivo Rio Cañas, the soccer team he played for, said in a Facebook post.
Lopez Ortiz, whose nickname was “Chucho,” died at the age of 29 after being mercilessly killed by the reptile in a river in Río Cañas in Guanacaste on July 29.
Crowds can be seen clapping and cheering, with some instruments and white balloons, as a silver van holding the fallen athlete slowly moves forward during the nighttime procession in Guanacaste province
Father of two children Jesus Alberto Lopez Ortiz, 29, was run over by a car while taking a dip in a river in the village where he lived
At the funeral ceremony last week, Chucho’s mother thanked her for all the emotional and financial support she has received since the passing of her son.
“There are no words for it, I know God will bless them… if it weren’t for them, I don’t know what I would have done,” said Giselle Ortiz Cubillo.
Horrifying footage of the footballer’s death shows the father-of-two fighting for life as he is carried away by the animal in his jaws.
Another clip shows the crocodile being shot into the water and carried to the riverbank, with locals saying they followed it in a canoe to recover Chucho’s body.
The footballer leaves behind his young children aged three and eight.
Gruesome photos captured the killer crocodile the footballer was carrying in its mouth as he swam
Local residents tracked down the animal and killed it to recover the footballer’s body
Costa Rican soccer player Chucho (pictured) tragically leaves behind two young children aged eight and three
Deportivo Rio Cañas, the football team he played for, posted a message on Facebook on the day of the funeral
His team said in a social media post last week: “We will remember you in the many facets of your sporting life as a coach, footballer and also as a family father. You will always live in our hearts Chucho, flying high friend.”
Costa Rica’s Ministry of Environment and Energy prohibits the hunting or killing of protected animals such as crocodiles.
It is currently unknown if the department is investigating the locals’ decision to kill the crocodile so that the locals can collect the body.
The local police said in a statement: “It should be clarified that every effort was made to save the body of the deceased without harming the reptile, which was not possible.”