The victim was washing his clothes near the river The incident was witnessed by his younger brother and his terrified friends

A 14-year-old Indonesian boy lost his life after being attacked by a crocodile on the banks of a river in South Konawe, South Sulawesi, in a tragic incident that shocked the local community and left his friends and family in disbelief.

According to local reports, the boy, Muhammad Rafly Hamza, was washing his clothes near the river when a crocodile lunged from the murky water and dragged him violently into the river. Despite his desperate attempts to survive, he did not succeed, while his younger brother and some terrified friends witnessed the entire incident.

Immediately, search and rescue teams, along with the victim's relatives, volunteers, and local fishermen, conducted a thorough sweep of the river using several boats. After hours of searching, the boy's body was found floating about 200 meters from the attack site.

Kolono Police Chief Ibdah Alimuddin Latif stated that the body showed multiple bite marks and confirmed that it had been recovered by a joint team of search and rescue and fire department personnel. Authorities also warned residents to exercise extreme caution near rivers to avoid similar accidents.

Indonesia is home to around 14 species of crocodiles, notably river estuary crocodiles, known for their aggression. Environmental experts point out that the increase in attacks is linked to habitat loss, illegal hunting, and the continuous expansion of human activity, which drives crocodiles closer to residential areas and villages.

This incident comes amid a series of similar attacks in recent years, heightening concerns about the safety of people living near rivers in the country.