Extraordinary moment a crocodile carries body of a boy, four, a mile down Indonesian river

This is the extraordinary moment a crocodile carries the intact body of a four-year-old boy to rescuers a mile away from where he drowned in a river in Indonesia.

The boy – named locally as Muhammad Ziyad Wijaya – had gone missing two days before near the Jawa Estuary in the province of East Kalimantan. 

Startling footage from the Mahakam River in Borneo shows the giant croc swimming through the water carrying the youngster on its back.

Baffled fishermen spotted the 10-foot reptile as it swam nearly 700 feet across the estuary bay towards a boat.

The boy – named locally as Muhammad Ziyad Wijaya (left) – had gone missing two days earlier near the Jawa Estuary in the province of East Kalimantan

The reptile – normally one of nature’s most ruthless killers – dropped the boy by a boat, where two men are seen pulling the body aboard. 

It meant that the family could be reunited with their son.  

Local media reported there were no bite marks on the body.

Members of the East Kalimantan Search and Rescue Agency received information that a crocodile was carrying the child they had been looking for.   

Melkanius Kotta, leader of the team, said: ‘We think the crocodile actually aided in the search for the victim.

‘Nothing is missing. Everything is intact.’

An unnamed bystander filmed the incredible moment as two men inside the boat then took the dead child.

Afterwards, the crocodile disappeared beneath the surface of the water.  

It is now yet known what caused Muhammad to drown or if the estuary’s crocodiles had anything to do with his death.

Initial observations allegedly show that the little boy had accidentally fallen into the river while playing.

This is the extraordinary moment a crocodile carries the intact body of a four-year-old boy to rescuers a mile away from where he drowned in a river in Indonesia

The reptile – normally one of nature’s most ruthless killers – dropped the boy by a boat, where two men are seen pulling the body aboard

 The boy’s body did not have any bite marks after the crocodile had carried him along the river

The crocodile’s 700-foot swim enabled Muhammad’s family to recover his body

After the footage gained widespread online attention, many viewers online speculated that the crocodile intentionally delivered Muhammad due to compassion and instinct.

Crocodiles kill an average of around 1,000 people a year but do not generally set out to hunt humans. 

According to ResearchGate, there were 221 crocodile attacks in Borneo between 2007 and 2016, resulting in 129 deaths. 

Sarawak and East Kalimantan had the highest numbers of reported attacks.  

In February last year a man was eaten alive by a crocodile while bathing in an Indonesian river. 

Luther, 51, was bathing in the water in the North Kalimantan province when a 13-foot crocodile dragged him underwater as his friends tried to scare the animal away. 

Three species of crocodile are known to inhabit Borneo – the Saltwater crocodile, Siamese crocodile and the Tomistoma.