Australian soldiers rescued from crocodile jaws
Two men are being treated in hospital after being attacked by a crocodile while swimming in a remote area of northeastern Australia.
Denis O'Sullivan of Queensland Ambulance Service told media in Cairns that the two men were swimming in "crocodile land" off Cape York Peninsula when one of them was attacked.
O'Sullivan said one of the men was injured while trying to save his friend from a saltwater crocodile, an animal that can reach 2.5 meters in length.
The man who was caught in the jaws of the crocodile sustained injuries to the head, chest and arms, while the other who tried to rescue him sustained injuries to his arms.
Local media reported that the two men were military, and they were swimming before they were attacked.
A military paramedic who came from the neighborhood on a boat put a tourniquet to stop the bleeding before they were quickly transferred to the hospital, which is an arduous task as the journey extends for nearly 800 kilometers south towards Cairns and includes the use of a boat, helicopter and plane.
Although the two men are currently in stable condition, O'Sullivan said the young man narrowly escaped.
"I think he is very fortunate that he is alive and is with us to tell what happened to him," he said.
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