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| French fisherman survives crocodile attack in Australia | French fisherman survives crocodile attack in Australia |
| (17 days later) | |
| A French fisherman was bloodied but back on his fishing boat just hours after he escaped from the jaws of a young saltwater crocodile who attacked him as he swam along a remote stretch of Australia's northern coast. | A French fisherman was bloodied but back on his fishing boat just hours after he escaped from the jaws of a young saltwater crocodile who attacked him as he swam along a remote stretch of Australia's northern coast. |
| Yoann Galeran, 29, said he was swimming from shore to a dinghy about 15 metres (50ft) away on Sunday night when a crocodile between two and 2.5 metres long clamped down on his head and neck and attempted to drown him in a manoeuvre known as a death roll. | Yoann Galeran, 29, said he was swimming from shore to a dinghy about 15 metres (50ft) away on Sunday night when a crocodile between two and 2.5 metres long clamped down on his head and neck and attempted to drown him in a manoeuvre known as a death roll. |
| "It went straight away to the top of my head and diving under the water he tried to do that spinning thing," Galeran said, referring to the drowning manoeuvre. | "It went straight away to the top of my head and diving under the water he tried to do that spinning thing," Galeran said, referring to the drowning manoeuvre. |
| "It was going so fast – everything happened in less than five seconds and then I fell free," he added. "I'm very lucky. If it was a bit bigger crocodile, I wouldn't be talking to you now." | "It was going so fast – everything happened in less than five seconds and then I fell free," he added. "I'm very lucky. If it was a bit bigger crocodile, I wouldn't be talking to you now." |
| The fishing boat skipper Craig van Lawick said he thought Galeran, an Australian resident born in the south-eastern French city of Avignon, was joking about being attacked by a crocodile until he saw the blood. | The fishing boat skipper Craig van Lawick said he thought Galeran, an Australian resident born in the south-eastern French city of Avignon, was joking about being attacked by a crocodile until he saw the blood. |
| Galeran was taken to a hospital in the remote mining town of Nhulunbuy, where he received several stitches to wounds to his head and neck. | Galeran was taken to a hospital in the remote mining town of Nhulunbuy, where he received several stitches to wounds to his head and neck. |
| The zoologist Charlie Manolis said the crocodile probably weighed less than 40kg (88lb) and was too small to be a serious threat to an adult. It had probably misjudged Galeran's size in the moonless night. | The zoologist Charlie Manolis said the crocodile probably weighed less than 40kg (88lb) and was too small to be a serious threat to an adult. It had probably misjudged Galeran's size in the moonless night. |
| "Had it been a four metre or bigger crocodile, there would have been a 100% chance that he would be dead now," said Manolis, chief scientist at Darwin's Crocodylus Park crocodile farm. | "Had it been a four metre or bigger crocodile, there would have been a 100% chance that he would be dead now," said Manolis, chief scientist at Darwin's Crocodylus Park crocodile farm. |
| "That size animal in daylight would probably not have gone near him. It can cause you significant damage if the animal really bites you a fair bit, but really they're not strong enough to overpower a full grown human," he added. | "That size animal in daylight would probably not have gone near him. It can cause you significant damage if the animal really bites you a fair bit, but really they're not strong enough to overpower a full grown human," he added. |
| Northern Territory government rangers on Monday set a trap to catch the crocodile at the site of the attack. | Northern Territory government rangers on Monday set a trap to catch the crocodile at the site of the attack. |
| Manolis said crocodiles were plentiful around Nhulunbuy, where local Aborigines regard them as a totem, but deadly box jellyfish were a greater threat to human life in the coastal waters during the summer months. | Manolis said crocodiles were plentiful around Nhulunbuy, where local Aborigines regard them as a totem, but deadly box jellyfish were a greater threat to human life in the coastal waters during the summer months. |
| Crocodiles can grow up to six meters long and have become abundant across Australia's tropical north since they became protected by federal law in 1971. | Crocodiles can grow up to six meters long and have become abundant across Australia's tropical north since they became protected by federal law in 1971. |
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