Crocodile Devours 29-Year-Old Costa Rican Footballer While Swimming In A River

In a tragic turn of events, a Costa Rican footballer lost his life after being attacked by a crocodile while taking a swim in a river to cool off.

On Saturday, July 29, Jesus Alberto Lopez Ortiz, better known to his friends as ‘Chucho’ had a tragic encounter with an aggressive reptile.

He had gone with his wife and two children to cool off in the river at Río Cañas located in Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica. Suddenly, the powerful creature grabbed him in his jaws and dived back under the water.

The 29-year-old father of two was seen struggling for his life as he was carried away by the animal in its jaws. Horrific images posted on social media by Jam Press showed this terrible incident.

Locals chased the croc in a canoe and shot it dead

One video recorded the moment the croc was shot dead in the water before being hauled onto land by locals who followed it in a canoe to retrieve Chucho’s remains.

Jesus was a beloved footballer who played for Deportivo Rio Cañas. He left behind two young children aged three and eight. Luis Carlos Montes, the manager of his team, has arranged a collection for the victim’s family members.

This initiative has been taken to provide them with the necessary support during this difficult time. Chucho’s family is also reaching out to the public for support in covering funeral expenses, as reported by thethaiger.com.

His football team paid tribute to him on Facebook

In a heartfelt Facebook post, his team shared their memories of Chucho as both an accomplished football player and coach while also acknowledging him as a cherished family member.

They expressed how he will always hold a special place in their hearts stating: ‘We will remember you in the many facets of your sporting life as a coach, football player and also as a family father. You will always live in our hearts Chucho, fly high friend’.

It was accompanied by a poignant video montage.

Costa Rica’s Ministry of Environment and Energy has implemented a strict ban on hunting or killing protected animals such as crocodiles. This measure is aimed at safeguarding these creatures from harm.

It is unclear at the moment whether the department is investigating why locals decided to kill a crocodile and then collect its body.

A statement issued by the local police emphasised their efforts to retrieve the body of the deceased person while preserving the reptile. ‘It should be clarified that all efforts were made to rescue the body of the deceased person without causing damage to the reptile, which was not possible’.