BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — A teen who was attacked by a crocodile after jumping into a crocodile-infested river on a dare is recovering from serious wounds to his arm.
Eighteen-year-old Lee de Paauw was at a hostel in the northern Queensland town of Innisfail around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday when he started bragging that he could swim in the river, a known habitat for aggressive saltwater crocodiles.
Sophie Paterson, a British backpacker who was at the hostel, says others egged him on, though none of them thought he would actually do it.
Seconds after jumping into the water, a crocodile latched onto him.
Queensland paramedic Neil Noble said the teen was lucky to escape before the crocodile drowned him.
