A 31-year-old woman was killed in a rare alligator attack while swimming in a Florida river on Sunday, state officials confirmed. The incident occurred at the Little Big Econ State Forest in Seminole County, approximately 25 miles northeast of Orlando, in the Econlockhatchee River.
Attack Details and Response
The woman's arm was severed in the attack, according to a 911 call obtained by Orlando's NBC affiliate Wesh. The caller reported, "Both her arms are dislocated – off basically. One arm is completely off." The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) described it as an "incredibly tragic incident" witnessed by the victim's boyfriend, who attempted to rescue her.
FWC public information officer Chad Weber stated, "He was trying to get her from the alligator's mouth. On the way to the hospital, she did pass away from her injuries." Authorities removed and euthanized two alligators, measuring 12 feet and 13 feet in length, from the river for DNA testing. The victim, from Orlando, has not been publicly identified pending notification of all relatives.
Context and Rarity of Attacks
Weber noted that the couple was hiking and stopped to swim in approximately 3 feet of water. "It doesn't seem they were doing anything malicious," he said. Attacks on humans are rare in Florida, with the FWC reporting an average of about eight unprovoked alligator bites annually and only 26 fatalities since 1948. The state is home to an estimated 1.3 million alligators.
Sunday's attack occurred near the 10th anniversary of the death of two-year-old Lane Graves, who was snatched by an alligator at Walt Disney World Resort in 2016. It also followed two other alligator encounters: a boy bitten on the hand while fishing in Marion County, and a man bitten while snorkeling in Dunnellon. In both cases, alligators were removed and killed.
Safety Warnings and Investigation
Weber emphasized vigilance near water, stating, "We have alligators in all 67 counties. Every body of water could have the potential to have an alligator. There is some risk when you swim." The investigation into Sunday's fatality is ongoing, with low water levels due to drought and the end of mating season cited as possible factors. "The alligators become very territorial," Weber added.
