A BRITISH backpacker was savaged by a crocodile before a brave pal saved her life by “furiously” punching the beast as it dragged her into a death roll.
Amelie Osborn-Smith, 18, was rafting on a river near the famous Victoria Falls in Zambia while enjoying her gap year when she was horrifically attacked.
Amelie Osborn-Smith, 18, was horrifically attacked while enjoying a gap year in South Africa.
The ferocious croc pounced on the teen and dragged her into a terrifying death roll before a pal rescued herCredit: Getty
Source: https://currencyrate.today/converter-widgetThe teen was swimming with a friend when the 10ft long beast clamped its mighty jaws onto her leg and yanked her into a terrifying death roll.
She was moments away from death when her heroic male pal managed to punch the reptile hard enough to make it release her from its deadly grip.
A source told The Sun: “They had taken a break from rafting and she was swimming with a friend when it happened.
“As soon as it happened he dived under the water and started punching the crocodile furiously.
“Then others jumped in to help. It was chaos. There was blood and people thrashing everywhere. She is lucky to be alive.
The dizzying movement is the crocodile’s favoured method of subduing its prey – it latches onto its victim and spins uncontrollably until its target is defeated.
Hero guides and fellow rafters also leapt into the river in a bid to save the Brit from the crocs deadly ballet.
The source continued: “Eventually the croc gave up and they pulled her back into the boat.
“She was in quite a bad way. They patched her up as best they could and arranged an emergency med-evac.”
Amelie was airlifted to hospital in the capital Lusaka for life-saving surgery – and to try and save her shredded leg.
Her father Brent Osborn-Smith, 60, said she had undergone “several surgeries” and was now in a stable condition.
The medic and former Army reservist told The Sun: “She has been operated on several times in the country but she does need to receive upgraded, definitive care in the UK as a matter of urgency.”
Friends said she was very shaken by the near-death experience.
Brent said she had been dangling her leg over the side of a canoe after being told by guides the area was safe.
“VERY LUCKY”
Amelie’s mother, Baroness Veronika von Pfetten-Arnbach, also confirmed that her daughter had been injured in the crocodile attack in Zambia.
She told The Sun: “She got caught by a crocodile and her friend saved her life.
“We don’t know how she’s doing. She’s in hospital so they’re operating on her.
She will hopefully be flown over in the next few days.”
Brit woman, 18, savaged by crocodile was saved by pal who ‘furiously’ PUNCHED beast as it dragged her into death roll
A BRITISH backpacker was savaged by a crocodile before a brave pal saved her life by “furiously” punching the beast as it dragged her into a death roll.
Amelie Osborn-Smith, 18, was rafting on a river near the famous Victoria Falls in Zambia while enjoying her gap year when she was horrifically attacked.
The teen was swimming with a friend when the 10ft long beast clamped its mighty jaws onto her leg and yanked her into a terrifying death roll.
She was moments away from death when her heroic male pal managed to punch the reptile hard enough to make it release her from its deadly grip.
A source told The Sun: “They had taken a break from rafting and she was swimming with a friend when it happened.
“As soon as it happened he dived under the water and started punching the crocodile furiously.
“Then others jumped in to help. It was chaos. There was blood and people thrashing everywhere. She is lucky to be alive.”
The dizzying movement is the crocodile’s favoured method of subduing its prey – it latches onto its victim and spins uncontrollably until its target is defeated.
Hero guides and fellow rafters also rushed into the river in a bid to save the Brit from the crocs deadly ballet.
The source continued: “Eventually the croc gave up and they pulled her back into the boat.
“She was in quite a bad way. They patched her up as best they could and arranged an emergency med-evac.”
Amelie was airlifted to hospital in the capital Lusaka for life-saving surgery – and to try and save her shredded leg.
Her father Brent Osborn-Smith, 60, said she had undergone “several surgeries” and was now in a stable condition.
The medic and former Army reservist told The Sun: “She has been operated on several times in the country but she does need to receive upgraded, definitive care in the UK as a matter of urgency.”
Friends said she was very shaken by the near-death experience.
Brent said she had been dangling her leg over the side of a canoe after being told by guides the area was safe.
“VERY LUCKY”
Amelie’s mother, Baroness Veronika von Pfetten-Arnbach, also confirmed that her daughter had been injured in the crocodile attack in Zambia.
She told The Sun: “She got caught by a crocodile and her friend saved her life.
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“We don’t know how she’s doing. She’s in hospital so they’re operating on her.
She will hopefully be flown over in the next few days.”
The privately educated victim was rafting with guides from a local company based in nearby Livingstone.
They were on a break between rapids in the gorge below the iconic Victoria Falls when the teenager is said to have went for a swim with a friend to cool off.
A family friend told The Sun: “The guides had said it was fine. It is really quite rare to get crocs where they were. The big ones are normally above the falls.
“So it was really unlucky to get munched and she was very lucky to get rescued.”
Her mother Veronica, a German Baroness, said in a statement regarding her daughter’s ordeal: “We can confirm that our daughter Amelie, 18, was attacked by a crocodile while on her gap year in Zambia.
It was chaos. There was blood and people thrashing everywhere. She is lucky to be alive.
“Thankfully, due to the efforts of her companions, she survived and is receiving the appropriate medical attention.
“This has obviously been a great shock to the family, and we ask for privacy at this time to be able to focus on Amelie.”
The mighty Zambezi River, sprawling more than 1,500 miles, is a haven for tourists who enjoy watersports and want to experience the glorious views
But they are often blissfully unaware of what lurks below, as prowling in the murky depths of the water – including the river’s most deadly predator, the Nile crocodile.
The notorious croc has a reputation for preying on humans and is one of the most dangerous species of crocodile about, responsible for hundreds of human deaths every year.
Several tourists have been known to lose limbs while others have perished after being attacked by the vicious beasts in the croc-infested waters of the Zambezi River.
DEADLY WATERS
In one chilling case, Brit tourists watched on in terror as a crocodile scoffed the remains of a man during a sunset cruise.
The group’s guide initially thought the beast was feasting on another animal – but as the boat drifted closer, the true grisly nature of the scene was revealed.
Despite gruesome stories emerging from the rivers, tourists appear undeterred and continue to use the waters for an adrenaline kick.
Three years ago, a bride-to-be in the same area lost her arm when an enormous 16ft crocodile attacked her just five days before her wedding.
Incredibly, former Zimbabwean tennis player Zanele Ndlovu came out of surgery and went ahead with her wedding to Brit Jamie Fox.
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