American Woman Injured in Crocodile Attack in Belize

Belize: A 44-year-old American woman was left injured in a crocodile attack that occurred in the early Monday morning, April 27, while swimming off the north side of Caye Caulker, Belize. She sustained severe bite injuries to her left wrist and a shredded right elbow. 

The female has been identified as 44-year-old Nicole Elizabeth Robinson, a businesswoman from Playa Asuncion, America, who entered the water near the popular Sip N Dip area with friends.

According to reports, the incident took place on Monday, at around 3:30 a.m., near the popular Sip N Dip area on the island's Northside, when the female went into the water with her friends where she was attacked by the reptile, believed to be an American crocodile.

Reportedly, while the female was in the water she was suddenly attacked by a crocodile who pounced on her, biting her severely on the left wrist and right elbow but despite the injuries the female fought back with profusely bleeding hand and somehow managed to break free from its grasp.

After that she exited the water with the help of her friends who first transported her to the Caye Caulker Health Center where she was initially treated and her condition stabilized. Then she was airlifted to the Belize Specialist Hospital in Belize City via the Triple R Emergency Ambulance Service for urgent surgical care where she is still hospitalized. 

Her current condition is still unknown and has not been disclosed by anyone including her friends and authorities.  

Authorities including the police and Village Council or Forest Department were also notified about the incident who launched their probe into the matter. The forest department are now looking for the reptile and are urging the people to avoid going near the waters especially near the Sip N Dip area on the island's Northside. 

Following the attack, Crocodile Research Coalition (CRC) also posted an online response stating that “American crocodiles are nocturnal hunters. They are most active from dusk until dawn, which coincides with the timeline of the attack on the female.”

CRC noted that it is not safe for the people to go in water without knowing what they have and hold. They also appealed to the people not to harm or hunt it, as the forest department will do it quickly when they locate the creature. 

This incident has sparked an online debate among the people as they are urging the authorities to remove crocodiles from the water and asked them to put a sign indicating where these crocodiles are located, or danger signs.