Horror as British tourist ‘is snatched by crocodile and dragged into lagoon’

Eyewitnesses said the man, who is believed to be aged 25, was seen frantically waving his hands after being dragged into a lagoon known locally as Crocodile Rock.

Local police were joined by navy and army units in a search of the shore and surrounding area, which is known for its large crocodile population. 

Some of them grow up to 17ft long. It is thought the man, who has not been named, had been on holiday with four friends when tragedy struck.

Reports said the holidaymaker had walked off into the jungle on his own to urinate.

Locals said the victim was from England and had been staying at the nearby East Beach Surf Resort in Arugam Bay.

It is thought the group was taking surfing lessons when the man wandered away shortly after 3pm today.

Another Briton at the scene said: “There’s a lagoon right next to the sea. He went next to the lagoon and was grabbed by a crocodile.

“There are lots in the lagoon. People last saw his arms in the air in the water and then he was grabbed under. I was there but didn’t see it happen. Horrible. 

“They are searching for a body but haven’t found anything yet.

“The army were down and there are people on boats checking the shore because crocodiles won’t eat anything in water. They will take it on to dry land to eat their prey.”

Local man Fawas Lafeer said of the victim: “He came here for a vacation.

He was learning to surf and after that he went in the jungle, about 800 yards.

It was when he was washing his hands that the crocodile took him. 

“They can’t do anything because the river is deep and murky. They have sent out the navy, army and the task force, but I doubt they will find the body.

“The crocodiles take the bodies along the river and hide them in the mud.”

In April this year, a 13-year-old girl was dragged away by a crocodile while on a day out with her family at Sri Lanka’s Pulnewa Lake, in Galnewa.

In July 2016, a Sri Lankan man aged 60 was killed in a crocodile attack while he was fishing.

Two years earlier a woman aged 57 died in another croc attack. 

Last night the Foreign Office said: “We are assisting the family of a British man who has been reported missing.”