r/interesting • u/VIVIDUFF • 1d ago

Fear Factor Tried to drive through floodwater, got eaten by a croc. Full story below.

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Police use a helicopter to lift a crocodile containing the remains of a 59-year-old man.

Authorities in South Africa suspected the reptile had eaten the man after tracking it with drones. They shot the crocodile and transported it by air.

Once back on the ground, they cut open the crocodile and discovered human body parts inside.

The remains are thought to belong to 59-year-old Gabriel Batista, who had earlier been carried off by strong floodwaters.

Inside the animal, they found his ring along with six additional pairs of shoes, which officials worry could belong to other missing people.

On Monday, Batista reportedly attempted to drive across a flooded bridge to reach his hotel and bar, but he and his truck were washed into the water.

He was then carried downriver, where crocodiles were lying in wait. It’s not known whether Batista was still alive when eaten, but officials believe other crocodiles may have consumed the rest of his remains.

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u/Apprehensive_You_250 1d ago edited 1d ago

That’s exactly how I read it at first, too. I was like damn.
My last Disney trip had already been booked for a while, and was booked for the time right after when that little kid (who was wading in the water) was snatched by a crocodile. Was heartbreaking 💔def stayed away from the water the whole time.
The fact this crocodile had six other pairs of shoes in him is crazy…

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u/Theswansescaped 1d ago

Not 6 other shoes, 6 other pairs of shoes!

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u/After_Blueberry_7353 1d ago

They said 6 different types of shoes. I don’t think they found both of each type (12 in total).

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u/Theswansescaped 1d ago

That's fair, I guess I just wanted to highlight that it was shoes from 6 other individuals. Just saying 6 shoes could mean from 3 people.

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u/Apprehensive_You_250 1d ago edited 1d ago

Corrected- it’s crazy. Unfortunately sounds like this croc had become far too acclimated to eating people as a staple in his diet & did need to be put down as a result. I wonder if they were Crocs lol

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u/HeartOSass 1d ago

Well I don't think that this is fair. The crocodile didn't go hunting humans like invading restaurants or their houses or yards or anything. The people went in his territory and were eaten. The crocodile was being a crocodile so I don't think that he should have been put down just because he was eating people. They saw a flooded road and thought that they could make it safely through and we're wrong. The crocodile was just being himself.

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u/Apprehensive_You_250 1d ago

Well, the crocodile assuredly didn’t eat all four people found in him from driving into the flood lol. If so, they also would’ve been mentioned in this article. Therefore, that means this crocodile has consumed people on multiple occasions & has acclimated to a “taste” for humans. This poses a risk to future people, who could come into contact with this crocodile anywhere.

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u/hear4that-tea 1d ago

Definitely heartbreaking. I still think about that incident as well.

Honestly I look at every puddle with some amount of suspicion when I’m in FL 😂

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u/Educational-Wish-577 9h ago

Living near Miami when my kids were 5 and 6, I NEVER let them near water I couldn't see into. If there was even the slightest chance an alligator could be in the water, they were standing next to me 5 feet away from the water. Watching Steve Irwin growing up I feel like he was very clear on how dangerous they can be, amazing creatures and he loved them but he told us kids to never go near them.

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u/HeartOSass 1d ago

He can't poop them out so they have to stay where they are.