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KOTA KINABALU: A 16-year-old boy has his friends to thank for being alive after he was rescued from a swooping crocodile and snapping his jaws in the Tuaran district near here yesterday.
The boy had been looking for clams on the banks of the Kampung Mengkabong River and was trying to cross the river in waist-deep water when the reptile pounced on him.
Tuaran Police Chief Mohd Hamizi Halim said the crocodile, which is estimated to be 1.7m long, tried to drag the boy underwater.
“But luckily the friends heard the boy’s screams and ran towards him,” said Hamizi.
The friends were believed to have beaten the reptile that subsequently released the boy before disappearing into the water.
Hamizi said the boy suffered serious injuries to his body and leg and was taken to hospital.
He advised local residents to contact the police if they saw the reptile.
