Nearby Workers Pulled Bitten Gran From River Using JCB

A selfless nan who was bitten by a crocodile while trying to protect her young grandson escaped death when nearby workers pulled her from the river with a JCB.

Civil protection team assists woman bitten by a crocodile in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, undated. She rescued a child walking with a dog when the reptile followed them. (Newsflash)

Images show Civil Protection officers bandaging the woman’s leg following the reptile attack in the Las Juntas neighbourhood of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

It is not clear when the incident took place, but local media first broke the story on 22nd May.

Reports told how the Civil Protection arrived on the scene following reports of an injured woman at the Ameca River.

Officers found the victim – identified only as Miriam, 45 – in a semi-reclining position on the bucket of a JCB.

It transpired that Miriam and her four-year-old grandson had gone to the river to cool off.

At one point, she had spotted a crocodile creeping up on the boy and had immediately gone to pull him out of harm’s way.

But as she had intervened, the reptile had attacked, clasping Miriam’s leg between its jaws.

Civil protection team assists woman bitten by a crocodile in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, undated. She rescued a child walking with a dog when the reptile followed them. (Newsflash)

Her terrified grandson had then shouted for help, and his cries had been heard by some nearby workers operating a JCB.

One of the workers, Arnulfo Hernandez, later told local media: “It was really big, to be honest. We’re talking about an animal that was four to five metres long.

“With the noise from the machines, it let go. We hit the water, and it let go. We grabbed the lady, lifted her up, and pulled her out with the machines.”

As Miriam was pulled from the river, the crocodile turned back and disappeared under the water’s surface.

The director of the Civil Protection in Vallarta, Gerardo Alonzo Castillon, said: “She has wounds on her femur, bite marks from the crocodile’s teeth, an exposed fracture, and injuries from the bite.”

Miriam was taken to the A&E department of the Regional Hospital to receive treatment, local media reported.

Civil protection team assists woman bitten by a crocodile in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, undated. She rescued a child walking with a dog when the reptile followed them. (Newsflash)

Medics reported that she had an open fracture of the tibia and fibula on the left side but said that her condition was stable.

Local residents say that crocodile sightings have become increasingly commonplace in the area.

It is believed that this increase is due to tourism-related construction work encroaching upon mangrove forests.

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