Crocodile Bites Man Swimming Away From Capsized Boat In Florida

A crocodile bit a 68-year-old man while he was swimming away from his sinking boat in the Florida Everglades. The National Park Service confirmed the attack happened Sunday afternoon (March 10) in the Flamingo Marina of Everglades National Park.

Officials said the man capsized his recreational sailboat in the marina basin, forcing him to swim to shore. The man suddenly went underwater while trying to reach land, the news release states. When park rangers responded to the scene, they found the 68-year-old with a laceration on his leg.

Miami-Dade Rescue took the unidentified man to a local hospital, and he was last listed in stable condition.

Rangers and park biologists said they'll continue to investigate the incident and monitor the suspected crocodile. NPS, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) are also evaluating the situation.

“While the park is a safe place to visit, we remind visitors to stay alert and exercise caution, especially around wildlife,” officials warned in their statement. “Swimming or wading is prohibited in all canals, ponds, freshwater lakes, marked channels and boat basins in Everglades National Park.”

American crocodiles are a federally-threatened species that resemble their close relative, the American alligator. According to FWC, an estimated 2,000 crocodiles roam South Florida today.