Crocodile drags golfer underwater, mauls him to death

According to a report in South African press, a 29 year-old golfer met an untimely death on Wednesday night after he was beaten in the chest by a crocodile at the Skukuza Golf Course in the Kruger National Park.

Jacques van der Sandt was visiting his parents who are member staff at the Kruger National Park.

The 29 year-old was said to have jumped into the Lake Panic which runs through the nine-hole golf course and where the crocodile lived a couple of times but was unfortunate to be caught at the fourth dive-in as the 3.9m reptile grabbed him by the chest and dragged him underwater.

Rangers at the golf course were alerted and they went in pursuit, killed the animal but met a lifeless Jacques who had teeth marks in front and back.

“It is an unfortunate incident where a promising life was cut short; our condolences go out to the family and friends of the victim. Investigations are on-going to establish the exact circumstances as it was an unnatural death. It is now an SAPS matter and SANParks will conclude its own internal investigation”, said Dr Freek Venter, KNP’s General Manager.