The headless body of a schoolboy has been found washed up on a beach after he was attacked by a crocodile in Malaysia.
Denis Rodi, 10, was snatched by a large saltwater crocodile as he played with friends in the shallows of Sinakut Beach in Lahad Datu town, Sabah, on October 13.
Police said his body was found at around 9.26am today around 600 metres from where he disappeared.
Denis’s right hand and head were said to be missing.
Lahad Datu District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Dzulbaharin Ismail, said: ‘Immediate search and rescue efforts were made by family members and villagers but they failed to find him.
Denis Rodi, 10, was snatched by the large saltwater crocodile as he played with friends in the shallows of Sinakut Beach
A picture from the scene where his body was recovered today
Denis was attacked by a large saltwater crocodile (file picture)
‘The boy’s stepfather then lodged a report at the Desa Kencana Police Station to seek help.’
According to wildlife officer Silvester Saimin, Denis’s family had come to the area to visit relatives.
He said: ‘At around 7 am, the children aged between five and 10 were taken by their aunts to bathe on the beach.
‘The victim, who was in the middle of the group of children, was mauled by a crocodile and dragged into the water.’
Denis’s remains were taken to the Lahad Datu Hospital.
The horror attack comes after Malaysian schoolgirl Cicilia Julan Intik, 6, was dragged away by a crocodile while bathing in a river on Bintulu Island on September 18.
She was splashing around with her family nearby when the predator snapped her up and pulled her deeper into the water.
Denis’s right hand and head were said to be missing from his body
A picture from the scene of where the 10-year-old’s body was recovered
Police said his body was found at around 9.26am today around 600 metres from where he disappeared
Wildlife officers said they have found what are believed to be the youngster’s remains – including teeth and bones – inside a croc caught from the river on September 27.
Crocodile attacks in Malaysia, especially in the states of Sarawak and Sabah, occur primarily in rivers and coastal areas where saltwater crocodiles are prevalent.
These attacks often involve fishermen, villagers, or tourists near crocodile habitats.
Due to the rising human-wildlife conflict, the government has implemented measures like awareness campaigns and occasional culling to manage the crocodile population and reduce attacks.
