Two fishermen became crocodile bait after falling victim to a bog tide in the Australian wild. To escape the hungry predators, they had to practice their survival skills on the roof of their stranded vehicle for days before help arrived.
Last Friday two Australian fishermen and their dog embarked on a rejuvenating voyage to grab some catch in the remote Kimberley region in north-west Australia. However, their four-wheel drive got stuck in a tidal bog that unexpectedly swamped the nature enthusiasts enjoying the breathtaking Australian scenery.
With their car filled with seawater and hopelessly stuck in the mud, the trio was forced on top of their vehicle to escape numerous tidal cycles. They stayed on top of the car for four nights in fear of saltwater crocodiles lurking next to the vehicle waiting to feast on the unusual bait.
Charlie Williams, 19, and Beau Bryce-Maurice, 37, used blankets and towels to shield themselves and their dog Mindee from the heat. They also recorded video logs on their phones in case they were never found alive.
Read more
“Me and Charlie and Mindee are slowly dying,” Bryce-Maurice said laughing in one of the videos, seen by ABC Australia. “No one can find us. Can hear planes and shit now and again. You don’t know how disheartening it is when they f***ing fly off.”
“We were surrounded by crocodiles last night,” Bryce-Maurice noted in another vlog. “[They] tried to attack my dog.”
When the two fishermen failed to return home from their weekend trip on the Dampier Peninsula, relatives alerted local authorities who launched a massive search and rescue effort. By Tuesday afternoon, both men and their dog were rescued. They were fatigued, dehydrated and suffering heat-stroke but happy to be alive, as they had been running out of water when located by rescuers.
“They stayed on top of the vehicle and went through about six tides, which covered the vehicle on a number of occasions,” Sergeant Mark Balfour, from Broome police, told ABC Australia News. “Obviously in the Kimberley here you’ve got to watch the crocs and snakes, and I believe one of the gentlemen said a croc did come close to their vehicle while they were out there, so obviously they were a bit panicky about that.”
READ MORE: Gang of 30 angry hippos attacks croc in Tanzania (VIDEO)
Crocodiles are known to live in big tidal rivers, creek mouths and mangrove swamps found on the coast of the Dampier Peninsula. Fishermen taking trips to the areas are advised to be careful and remain vigilant of the large reptiles and snakes.
“Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptiles in the world (in terms of weight). They can grow to over 6 meters and their jaws can exert a pressure of several tons. They are huge, territorial and aggressive, and they are plentiful across the Kimberley,” the local tourist board says on its website.
