Marcus McGowan (51) was on vacation in the Australian state of Queensland when he was attacked by a saltwater crocodile.
McGowan said he was in the water with a group of people. They were about 17 miles off Haggerstone Island near Cape York when he was suddenly bitten from behind.
– I thought it was a shark, but I realized it was a crocodile when I raised my hand. I managed to open my jaw just enough to stick my head out, the man said in a statement, according to BBC News.
The 51-year-old also said the crocodile came back for another attack but managed to fend it off and was bitten in the hand as a result.
New leads give new hope
Crocodile attacks are basically rare in Australia. Nevertheless, there have been several cases in recent months.
The Queensland Department of Environment said it would investigate the incident, the BBC writes.
– Crocodiles on the high seas can be difficult to detect, as they often travel tens of kilometers a day, they said, according to the newspaper.
Haggerstone Island Resort is described as an exclusive resort. The whole island, located about 600 kilometers north of Cairns, can be rented for 7,600 dollars, or more than 85,000 crowns per night.
