FT journalist killed by a crocodile in Sri Lanka

Paul McClean, 25, an Oxford University Graduate from Surrey and British journalist for the Financial Times was killed by a crocodile while washing his hands at a lagoon in Sri Lanka during a holiday with friends. He is understood to have to search away from his group of friends to find a toilet when he was fatally attacked.

He was seen “ waving his hands in the air” before being dragged under water at a lagoon called Crocodile Rock near Arugam Bay. The lagoon notorious for crocodiles is in the near proximity from popular surfing spot Elephant Rock near Arugam Bay on the South East coast.

Sri Lankan army and police are searching the shore and surrounding areas. A fisherman who was on the opposite side of the river and downstream of the incident location witnessed a man being dragged into a river by a crocodile.

In April 2017, a 13-year-old girl was attacked and dragged into the lagoon by a crocodile while she was enjoying a day out with her family at Pulnewa Lake in Galnewa. In July 2016, a 60-year-old Sri Lankan was also killed by a crocodile, when he had been fishing in the Paayindan River in Sammanthurai when he was attacked.