British Teenager Attacked By Crocodile While Rafting In Zambia

Sunday, 5 December 2021 06:00

By SKY NEWS

A British teenager has been attacked by a crocodile while travelling with friends in Zambia, according to reports.

Amelie Osborn-Smith, from Andover, Hampshire, had been with friends on a gap-year holiday and was white-water rafting on the Zambezi River near the famous Victoria Falls when the incident happened.

The 18-year-old, who finished her A-levels at school in Winchester earlier this year, was said to have been resting her leg over the side of the boat when the crocodile bit her and dragged her under the water.

She was saved by a friend who reportedly punched the crocodile on the nose, with The Sun reporting that other rafters and guides also jumped in the water to fight the 10ft crocodile off.

Amelie was airlifted to hospital in Zambia's capital Lusaka, about 240 miles away, where she is reportedly being treated for serious leg injuries.

Her father, former army officer Brent Osborn-Smith, told MailOnline:

"She's a very sensible girl, but on this occasion she was being guided by the rafting company and it was on their advice.

"She wasn't actually swimming but just sitting on the boat and the crocodile saw her leg dangling in the water and the crocodile clamped its jaws onto her leg and dragged her under the water.

"Obviously with a crocodile bite there's a huge risk of infection and she's got a very severely damaged leg.

"It's quite a distressing situation.

"She has been stabilised as best they can but it's still pretty touch-and-go and we're trying to arrange appropriate consultants here.

"The other issue is that Zambia is now on the (UK government's) COVID red list, so there are various hoops which need to be stepped through quite carefully."

The Zambezi River is a haven for those seeking water sports and wonderful views, but it is also home to a number of vicious - and potentially deadly - animals, including crocodiles.