Maun Police have confirmed retrieving the body of a 13-year-old schoolboy who was attacked by a crocodile while he swam in Thamalakane River.
The teenager had been swimming with two friends at Koromo cattlepost, some 20km out of Maun, when the croc struck on Thursday afternoon.
According to Maun Station Commander, Chenamo Orateng, the cops were alerted to the incident soon after it happened by a man who witnessed the boy being dragged under.
“A search party was released the same day. However, the boy could not be found until a day later,” said Orateng, adding the child’s body was still intact but his arm was fractured.
“The child had recently completed his Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) at Nxaraga Primary School,” the police boss further revealed.
The top cop urged parents to keep a close eye on their kids, especially those that live close to the river.
“The river harbors dangerous animals like crocodiles and hippos. Even the river itself is dangerous as one can drown in the water. Parents should discourage their children from playing in or near the river to avoid attacks from these animals,” said Orateng.
It is thought to be the first crocodile attack in and around Maun since December 2020, when a mother a daughter harvesting tswii were pounced upon by a croc lurking near the river bank. Although both women survived the altercation, they each lost an arm to the reptile’s sharp teeth.
