An alligator, thought to be up to seven feet long, attacked a 2-year-old boy while he was playing in the water on the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon near an upscale Disney resort in Orlando, Florida. The toddler’s father tried to rescue him, but the reptile dragged the boy into water.
The boy is still missing, with over 50 law enforcement officers currently searching the Seven Seas Lagoon. The area around the lake has been cordoned off to help with the search.
The shocking incident happened near Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, a luxury resort owned by Disney.
Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings told a news conference that a family of five from Nebraska was on vacation, relaxing on the shoreline when the attack occurred Tuesday night. He told reporters that the alligator is between 4 feet and 7 feet (1.2 meters and 2 meters) long.
According to Demings, the father tried to save his son, but failed.
“The father entered the water and tried to grab the child and was not successful,” Demings said, Reuters reported, adding that the boy’s mother also tried to rescue him.
He reportedly had scratches on his hands after the ordeal.
Although there are no signs warning of gators in the area, there are notices posted against swimming in the man-made lake, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Hotel guest A J Jain and his family, visiting Disney from Georgia, told the newspaper that he and his kids were playing on the beach nearby when the incident happened.
“I can’t imagine what those parents are going through. It’s been one tough week in Orlando,” he said.
A man who does not wish to be named says: “I sat on the beach the other night and smoked a cigar right where the kid got pulled in.”
— David Smith (@SmithInAmerica) 15 июня 2016 г.
Demings said there have been no other recent reports of similar alligator attacks at the lake, AP said.
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Via RT. This piece was reprinted by RINF Alternative News with permission or license.