Man taken to hospital with injuries after reported croc attack

A 44-year-old man has been bitten on the head by a crocodile while swim training in Cairns, with a paramedic saying he’s a ‘very lucky man’.

A man has been hospitalised after being bitten by a crocodile in Cairns.

Paramedics were called to an address off Lake Placid Road in Caravonica around 12.43pm where the man, aged in his 40s was injured

He sustained multiple minor lacerations to his hand, face and upper body.

The patient was taken to Cairns Hospital in a stable condition.

QAS Critical Care Paramedic Paul Sweeney was one of the first responders on the scene, where the man had been bitten on the head by the crocodile.

“We attended a 44-year-old male who, quite clearly appears to be bitten by a crocodile,” he said.

“There’s definite evidence of puncture wounds through his scalp to the right side of his head from either the upper or lower jaw and there were additional puncture wounds to the left angle of the jaw, the cheekbone corresponding to a bite that the animal has bitten the top of his head with the jaws either side.”

He said the man was conscious and alert after he was bitten while swim training.

“Suddenly he felt this sudden impact on the top of his head which he recognised to be a crocodile.

“He put his hands into the jaws to prise them off his head and when he did so and let go the jaw snapped shut and onto his left forefinger which wasn’t broken or severed thankfully.

“He took what he described as a slow swim back to the bank where he was able to drag himself out of the water. He was obviously concerned that the animal would come and attack him again but it didn’t.”

Mr Sweeney said the man was “very lucky,” considering he had not suffered any significant injuries and only needed his wounds cleaned, stitched or glued.

“When you consider that had the crocodile bitten into his neck or his throat where the major blood vessels are then that could have been a fatality. Thankfully that didn’t occur.”

“He’s a very lucky man because it could have been significantly worse.”

He said the victim was expected to make a full recovery, and told the paramedic that he’d be back swimming in Lake Placid soon.

“He’s a braver man than I.”