The tragic death of a 31-year-old woman has shocked the United States; who was attacked by a massive alligator while swimming with her partner in a Florida river.

Despite desperate efforts to save her, the young woman succumbed to her severe injuries while being transported to the hospital. The incident occurred last Sunday (June 28) on the Econlockhatchee River, within the Little Big Econ State Forest.

According to authorities, the couple had gone out for a hike and decided to stop for a swim in the shallow waters, when an alligator about 3.7 meters long suddenly lunged out of the water and attacked 31-year-old Brittany Clark.

“They were hiking and just stopped to go for a swim,” said a spokesperson for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. He revealed that “she suffered bites to both of her hands.” Her partner was the one who called 911. He was trying to free her from the alligator’s jaws, and, unfortunately, she succumbed to her injuries on the way to the hospital.”

Her partner, Chance Allison, fought the alligator in an attempt to save her. He managed to free one of her arms from the animal’s jaws, but the alligator attacked again and seized the other, inflicting devastating injuries on her.

Her partner’s dramatic 911 call

Particularly harrowing is the 911 call, in which frantic cries for help can be heard as the 31-year-old bled profusely.

A woman describes the injured woman’s condition with horror, saying, “It’s horrible… one of her arms has been completely severed and the other is hanging there, barely attached.”

A few moments later, a man shouts desperately to the rescuers: “The situation is very bad; please hurry. She’s losing a lot of blood; we have to stop the bleeding.”

Despite the efforts of those at the scene and the rescuers, the young woman did not survive.

After the attack, authorities located the alligator, killed it, and removed its head, which will be used as evidence in the investigation.

The 31-year-old loved nature and outdoor activities, and had worked for years as a bulldozer operator. In her free time, she attended music festivals and events, which was also reflected in her social media posts.

Source: Protothema.gr