‘It happened so fast’: Fisho Chris Perger lucky to be alive after croc’s near miss on South Alligator River
NSW fisho Chris Perger says he feels lucky to be alive after a monstrous 5m crocodile launched into his boat and was just centimetres away from ripping into his torso.
Northern Territory
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NSW fisho Chris Perger says he feels lucky to be alive after a monstrous 5m crocodile launched into his boat and was just centimetres away from ripping into his torso.
The 32-year-old Wollongong tourist had been camping on a boat along the South Alligator River with a group of three friends when the croc attacked on April 24.
He said the sun had set, and the fishos had just finished eating some T-bones they’d cooked on a camp stove for dinner when one of the fishos, Riley Wilson, spotted the croc in the water.
“Riley screamed out ‘Croc!’ and then lunged out of the way before this massive croc jumped about 3m into our boat,” Mr Perger said.
“I was sitting on a chair, and it reached right out at me and had a big snap.
“It got one of its teeth in my side, but if the seat wasn’t there, it would have got me — 5cm closer it would have pulled out my torso.
“I was pretty shocked. It happened so fast.”
Mr Perger said he hasn’t let the close call put a damper on his trip to the NT and the group were back out fishing the next day.
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He said he eventually attended the Jabiru Health Centre to get his injuries treated to prevent infection.
It is understood the group stopped to cook dinner near the banks of Mud Island when the crocodile attacked.
According to their Instagram page, which has almost 10,000 followers, the group of mates regularly head out on fishing and hunting trips. The page, @southcoastadventures, shows the mates enjoying the beauty of Kakadu, Bitter Springs and even a helicopter tour.
Kakadu National Park rangers are now scouring the river for the crocodile, a Parks Australia spokesman said.
The Kakadu spokesman said safety at the park was taken very seriously and urged all visitors to brush up on their crocodile safety knowledge.
“Crocodiles exhibiting aggressive behaviour are captured and assessed before being relocated,” he said.
The incident follows a series of close encounters with crocodiles in Kakadu over the past fortnight.
A croc at Cahills Crossing left the water and chased three women up the riverbank on April 21. Locals reported a crocodile went halfway up the bank on the Arnhem Land side of the river, then it looped around to grab a large fish off the sandbank before returning to the water.
On April 17, two fishermen reported that a large crocodile approached their vessel while they were fishing on the South Alligator River and started chasing two captured fish. They said the crocodile lifted its head and neck out of the water to look over the gunwale of the boat.
During a second run-in with the croc later that day, it bit the railing of the boat while they were fishing at the mouth of Crab Creek.
The men warned other fishers in the vicinity.
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