Jan. 3 (UPI) — Wildlife officials in Queensland, Australia, are investigating a report of a large crocodile that jumped out of the water and into an angler’s boat.
The Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation said a man was fishing in his tin boat at Jane Creek, near St. Helen’s Beach in an area north of Mackay, when he spotted a crocodile nearby.
“The man said he had been fishing around four hours and when he saw the large crocodile approaching the boat, he moved to the back of the vessel and started the engine,” Senior Wildlife Officer Jane Burns said in a news release. “The crocodile swum under the tinnie, then turned and launched itself up and into the vessel with its jaws wide open.”
Burns said the angler jumped over the crocodile to haul in his anchor, and the reptile fell back into the water when it attempted to pivot its body.
The officer said the large croc bent the rails of the boat as it fell.
“The fisherman went to the boat ramp at Black Rock Creek. He told us he had never seen such a large crocodile behaving that way in the region before,” Burns said.
Burns said officials are posting warning signs in the area and will attempt to locate the crocodile and monitor its behavior.