Mexican police are using drones to try and identify whether it was a shark or a crocodile that killed an elderly Canadian tourist and injured at least one other person.
Joseph ‘Jeff’ Bynens, 76, was swimming when he suddenly vanished from sight on the beach of Ixtapa in Mexico on Thursday morning.
When he was carried out of the water, at least one of his legs had reportedly been torn off.
It was initially reported it was a shark but the shocking injuries led police to suspect that it might also be a crocodile that caused his death. It was also noted that there is a crocodile farm in the area and crocodiles have been known to visit the beach.
Marine biologists suspect that the nature of the industry indicates it is highly probable that Bynens was attacked by a crocodile, said Zihuatanejo Mayor Jorge Sanchez Alec.
Paramedics from the Secretariat of Comprehensive Risk Management and Civil Protection have confirmed that they are trying to identify the animal that attacked the two people, killing one of them on the beach of the Club Med hotel on the “Quieta” beach in the municipality of Zihuatanejo de Azueta.
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They said that the dead man suffered horrific injuries to his lower body. And lifeguards have banned people from going into the water while the search goes on. Purple flags have been erected to indicate the presence of something dangerous in the water.
According to several reports, the attack on the elderly man occurred at about 9:15 am, just minutes after Valerie Haurowitz, 52, from Los Angeles, California. Was similarly attacked. She is reportedly in a stable condition.
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Story By: Michael Leidig, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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