Hotel boss eaten by crocodile is identified after hero cop is lowered into predator-infested river to grab killer… before victim’s remains and SIX pairs of shoes are cut from his stomach
The hotel owner who was eaten by a crocodile in South Africa has been identified and photographed after the animal, with its remains inside, was dramatically airlifted from a river island by a police dive team.
The remains of Gabriel Batista, 59, were found inside the half-ton carnivore after its abdomen was cut open after it was lowered to the ground in the Kruger National Park.
Police investigating the incident in the town of Komatipoort in Mpumalanga province also found six pairs of shoes in the crocodile’s stomach.
The field necropsy performed by South African police captain Joey Potgieter led to the macabre discovery of two severed arms with hands still attached, half a ribcage and breast meat.
DNA from the body confirmed that the remains were those of Batista, who was tragically swept away by the raging waters.
None of the shoes belonged to the victim, leading to fears that the crocodile was a rogue man-eater that had killed or eaten many drowning victims in the river in recent years.
According to wildlife experts, crocodiles cannot digest plastic, hence the discovery of shoes such as slippers, sandals, Nike sneakers and high heels.
An extensive investigation is now underway to try to link the shoes to missing locals or villagers who use the often flooded bridge on foot or by car and have been swept away.
The remains of Gabriel Batista (pictured), 59, were found inside the half-ton carnivore
Police investigating the incident in the town of Komatipoort in Mpumalanga province found six pairs of shoes in the crocodile’s stomach
The drama began last Monday when Batista tried to drive over the flooded low bridge near the town’s golf course to get to his hotel and bar on the other side as the river’s water level rose.
But the heavy current pushed his 4×4 Ford Ranger over the side and onto rocks and the businessman is said to have climbed out of the vehicle to try to get to safety.
But they believe the force of the water washed him off his feet and headed down the Komati River to the nearby Mozambique border and the hungry crocodiles.
Police and park rangers say dozens of these fearsome carnivores use muddy river islands and sandbanks to lie in wait for prey to be carried downstream.
It is not known whether Batista drowned before being eaten by the shot crocodile and it is possible that his remains are also in several other crocodiles.
The victim owned the Border Country Inn and sports bar, just a short drive from the regularly flooded bridge and 5 kilometers from the world-famous Kruger National Park.
A spokesman said: ‘Gabriel was a lovely man and a family man, married with many children. He spent a lot of time here and the customers loved him.
‘He lived in Johannesburg but owned this guesthouse and bar, spent a lot of time here and was on his way to work on Monday when he was just swept away.
The bravery of police dive team commander Captain Johan ‘Pottie’ Potgieter has been praised after he volunteered to be airlifted in to retrieve the shot crocodile.
Suspecting that Batista had been eaten, his team sent in a drone on Tuesday and monitored crocodile activity on the mud bank islands.
Captain Potgieter said: ‘My dive team has been recovering bodies from local rivers in this part of South Africa for a long time, so we know the behavior of crocodiles.
‘From a drone we studied a number of crocodiles on an island 60 meters from the bridge and we identified one particular crocodile that we were 100 percent certain had eaten the man.
‘This very large one was not moving in the sun and was showing typical signs of recent feeding as it has a very full belly and was staying out of nearby water.
“It made no effort to move, despite the sound of the drones or our helicopter overhead, or despite the urge to look for food, so we were sure it was this crocodile,” he said.
Permission had to be sought to euthanize the crocodile, which was given on Saturday and it was killed with a single shot from a police helicopter sniper.
The bravery of police dive team commander Captain Johan ‘Pottie’ Potgieter has been praised after he volunteered to be airlifted in to retrieve the shot crocodile.
The next task was to rescue the predator from the crocodile infested island.
Captain Potgieter said: ‘I got the job and was put in a harness and the sound of the gunshot and the helicopter lowering me scattered the other crocodiles.
‘There were so many things that could go wrong and the rope basically dropped me onto the crocodile’s snout, so I was kind of hoping it was really dead!
‘There were two crocodiles nearby, watching as I slipped the harness around the dead crocodile’s waist, secured it under the front legs and tightened the strap.
“Then I signaled to the helicopter and it took me straight up, leaving a lot of big crocodiles behind and then we flew to a landing zone to open the crocodile,” he said.
His police wife, Captain Joey Potgieter, opened the dead crocodile.
Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, Acting National Police Commissioner, commended the extraordinary courage and selflessness shown by Captain Potgieter.
She said: “His willingness to put his own life at risk goes far beyond the call of duty to try to provide some form of closure for the family and shows great courage.
“It reflects the unwavering commitment of members of the South African Police Service to do the right thing, even in the face of a danger that could have cost him his life.”
The Nile crocodile is among Africa’s most feared predators and has one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom, eight times as powerful as the Great White Shark.
They kill 1,000 people a year in Africa, grow up to 6 meters long, weigh up to 1,500 kilos and can reach a speed of 35 km/hour, and are no match for humans. Few are lucky enough to escape their attack.
They feed mainly on fish, but can easily take down buffalo, antelope, young hippos and young elephants and have 64 to 68 teeth up to two inches long to grab and hold their prey.