Latest update:18 February 2026 at 23:41 IST

A 19-foot crocodile killed Josmitawatti while she was collecting clams. Local residents captured and killed the crocodile, and found its remains inside it. Authorities urge caution near rivers.

A 19-foot crocodile killed Josmitawatti while she was collecting clams. Local residents captured and killed the crocodile, and found its remains inside it. Authorities urge caution near rivers. (Image: X)

Disturbing footage has emerged from Indonesia’s Aceh province, showing a massive 19-foot crocodile mauling a woman in the murky waters of the Luan Buya River after attacking a woman.

In the video, terrified onlookers can be heard screaming as the reptiles float to the surface, at one point lifting the woman’s lifeless body above the water. Gunshots rang out as local residents tried to force the crocodile to release it, while a man climbed a nearby tree and hit the crocodile with a stick. The shots seem to frighten the predator, which eventually rolls over and disappears beneath the surface.

The victim, identified as 36-year-old Gusmitawatti, was collecting oysters with friends on February 15 when the attack occurred. According to reports, it moved to deeper waters after briefly separating from the group. Suddenly the crocodile, believed to have been lurking beneath the surface, lunged and pulled her underwater.

Her friends rushed to their village to raise the alarm after she stopped answering their calls. The search continued the next day, and authorities eventually found and killed the alligator less than a mile from the site of the attack.

The head of the local council, Rasmanuddin Rahamine, said the crocodile was about six meters (19 feet) long and about a meter wide. After seizing and opening it, officials confirmed that parts of the victim’s body and clothes were found inside.

Telok Dalam Police Chief Zainur Fauzi urged residents to avoid river activities until more safety measures are implemented. Although known as a magnet for crocodiles, the river is still a popular site for shellfish collecting and fishing.

Indonesia is home to 14 species of crocodile, including large estuarine crocodiles that thrive in the region’s tropical climate. Conservationists warn that habitat destruction, coastal development, poaching and mining activities have pushed the predators closer to human settlements. In many rural areas, people still rely on rivers for bathing and fishing, increasing the risk of deadly confrontations.

The tragedy follows another fatal crocodile attack in December, when a 10-year-old boy named Affan was killed while swimming with friends in the Ingwe River in North Maluku.

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