In a tragic turn of events, a well-known Costa Rican football player, Jesus Alberto Lopez Ortiz, popularly known as Chucho, has been killed by a crocodile.
Chucho dived off a bridge into the Canas river in a spontaneous act that turned fatal, according to police reports.
The 29-year-old footballer was in the company of a friend and a cousin at the time of the incident. Despite their attempts to discourage him from jumping into the crocodile-infested river, Chucho went ahead. Eyewitness footage shows the terrifying moments of Chucho battling the crocodile as it hauled him away.
Local villagers made desperate attempts to save the footballer by attacking the crocodile. However, the beast did not loosen its grip. Videos shot after the attack show the massive reptile swimming in the river while still holding onto the footballer’s body.
In a last-ditch effort, villagers shot and killed the crocodile to recover Chucho’s body. Despite the prohibition on killing protected species, including crocodiles, in Costa Rica, it remains unclear if any charges will be filed against the locals.
Local police quoted by the Daily Mail stated, “All efforts were made to rescue the body of the deceased person without causing damage to the reptile, but it was not possible.”
