A WOMAN has died following a gruesome alligator attack while she was in a small boat with her husband on a Florida lake.
Cynthia Diekema, 61, was dragged off her boat and into the water by the gator, which has not yet been found.
A witness called authorities to Lake Kissimmee State Park in Florida at around 4 pm on Tuesday after witnessing a reptile attack, according to local NBC station WFLA.
The pair was riding in the canoe when they drifted over a large alligator, which tipped the boat over.
Via radio transmission, a Polk County Sheriff official stated, “An alligator pulled her from the canoe. Her husband attempted to fend off the gator. We are searching the area where she was last seen, and he left the paddle there as a marker,” reported Orlando’s WKMG.
Law enforcement officers rushed to the rescue using both boats and helicopters to find the murderous reptile.
The initial report from The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission mentioned that a woman was canoeing when she encountered an alligator, resulting in her falling into the water.
“The woman was later recovered from the water and was declared deceased.”
The woman’s body has been recovered.
Video from the scene shows authorities arriving in trucks carrying motorboats to help find the gator.
Signs are posted all around the lake warning visitors not to swim in the water due to alligators being present.
Lake Kissimmee, in central Florida, spans 35,000 acres and has the highest concentration of alligators in the state.
Tuesday’s incident comes just eight weeks after a gator injured another kayaker.
The woman was attacked on March 3 by an 8-foot-4-inch long alligator at the canal connecting Lake Kissimmee and Tiger Lake.
She was brought to the hospital with severe injuries to her arm and survived.
The reptile responsible for the attack was captured and euthanized by authorities.
GATOR ATTACKS
Florida has an estimated 1.3 million alligators living throughout its 67 counties.
Everything to know about alligator attacks
According to Gatorland CEO Mark McHugh:
- When are alligators most active: From dusk to dawn
- When is mating season: April to September
- What to do if you’re being chased: Don’t run in a zigzag. Hit the gator in the eyes and nose if possible
- What to do if you see large amounts of alligators near your home: Call Florida Fish and Wildlife’s nuisance alligator number at 866-FWC-GATOR
Records published by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission show that there have been less than 500 human-involved alligator attacks since 1948.
About 90% of attacks involving humans were typically due to human inattention or provoking before the incident.
“As long as you take the proper safety steps and be wary of alligators like your life depends on it (because it very well might), you should be fine,” the Everglades Holiday Park writes on its website.
“Your chances of being the victim of an unprovoked alligator attack are 1 in 3.1 million.”
The two attacks at Lake Kissimmee come during peak mating season, which is when the reptiles are more territorial.
The mating season begins in April and ends in September, so visitors are encouraged to be extra vigilant during those months.
“Coexisting with alligators in the state of Florida means respecting their presence and abiding by all precautionary measures to avoid conflict,” president and CEO of Gatorland Mark McHugh told Florida Today.
“Alligators can be found in any body of water, including your swimming pool.”
Those who do happen to encounter an alligator should try to hit it in the eyes and nose, according to McHugh.
“He’ll recognize that you’re not his normal prey and hopefully he’ll let you go.
“If you get grabbed, fight as hard as you can, like your life depended on it, because it very well may.”
