Croc cruise operator reveals bite from 2.2m saltie has severed eight tendons in his hand

Adelaide River Cruises tour operator Sean Dealy has revealed the extent of his injuries caused by a 2.2m saltie that launched itself at his arm.

ADELAIDE River Cruises tour operator Sean Dealy has revealed the croc bite he received on Monday was more severe than he first thought.

However, Mr Dealy described the injury as being “just a couple of tendons” severed.

Talking to Katie Woolf on Mix 104.9, he said eight tendons were sliced and it would be three months before he could use his hand again.

“I was looking at the croc, and it’s looking at me and I’m thinking, this thing probably thinks it’s bitten off more than it can chew, and it went for another grab and I pulled my hand free,” Mr Dealy said.

“They got a pretty decent bite on I can tell ya,” he said.

He went on to say both he and his tour operators had safe working procedures and he just disobeyed his own rules.

Mr Dealy said his decision to reach down into the water of the Adelaide River to retrieve a hook led to the 2.2m croc launching itself out of the water and biting him on the arm. Mr Dealy said it was a stupid mistake and something he would never normally do.

“It was a bit of complacency,” he said.

“I just didn’t really look,” Mr Dealy said.

The general practice for feeding crocs is to always use a pole and keep all limbs inside the vessel.

Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Tours general manager Wes Field said his staff had been warned against breaking safety rules or they would be sacked.

“I’ve told NT WorkSafe (and my staff) in the past, I’ll sack ‘cowboys’ on the spot and deal with Fair Work Australia rather than the coroners’ court,” Mr Field said. “We work with crocodiles because they let us. Do something stupid and complacency will kill you. In this case, it gave a pretty nasty slap on the wrist.”

The Original Jumping Crocodile Cruise tour operator Tony Blums said that he hoped this would be the catalyst for more regulation around the industry that prevented small operators on the river.

Originally published as Croc cruise operator reveals bite from 2.2m saltie has severed eight tendons in his hand