A contract worker of a sago plantation, Hongkiat, died after being attacked by a crocodile while he was harvesting sago for a factory owned by PT National Sago Prima in Meranti Islands regency, Riau province, the police said on Sunday.

Meranti Islands Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. La Ode Proyek, said the tragedy happened while the 18-year-old man was working on Saturday with other workers to collect sago branches in Kepau Baru village in Tebing Tinggi Timur district in the regency. “The workplace accident was witnessed by his fellow workers,” he said Sunday.

Hongkiat screamed for help when the crocodile bit his right leg. Other workers and his brother, Aking, who was fishing about 20 meters from the location tried to help but the crocodile pulled him into the river. “After searching for almost four hours, the villagers and other workers of the company found him dead. His body was intact except for the bite wound to his right leg,” Proyek said.

The police warned the workers around the waters to be careful because the accident was not the first of its kind reported there.

Source:
courtesy of THE JAKARTA POST

by Rizal Harahap

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