Crocodile kills high school student in Palawan

PALAWAN, Philippines – A 15-year-old high school student was killed in yet another crocodile attack in Balabac town on Sunday, September 8.

Authorities identified the victim as Romilo Miranda, a Grade 8 student at Indalawan National High School.

Only his upper body was retrieved around 1:30 pm on Monday, September 9.

Miranda had gone fishing with his uncle and two cousins at around 10 pm on Sunday in Sitio Bual, Barangay Indalawan, when the attack occurred.

As the victim went diving, his cousin saw a saltwater crocodile biting his neck and dragging him underwater, according to a police report.

Sitio Bual was the same place where the body of a 33-year-old fisherman, believed to have been attacked by a crocodile, was recovered in November 2018. (READ: Palawan authorities capture ‘man-eating’ crocodile)

Balabac is an island town in the southernmost part of Palawan, notorious for deadly crocodile attacks, which conservationists attribute to the increasing human encroachment into the already shrinking crocodile habitats.

Not a month ago, a 10-year-old boy was killed on August 14 after being snatched from a boat by a saltwater crocodile. Back in February, a 12-year-old boy escaped a crocodile when his siblings hit the reptile. – Rappler.com