Horrible moment kayaker calls for help after friend is ambushed by 15ft crocodile
- Hendrik Coetzee, 35, was snatched from his raft by the deadly aquatic predator
- He was accompanied by Chris Korbulic and Ben Stookesberry, both Americans.
- The trio were kayaking along the Lukuga River in Congo when disaster struck
THIS is the horrific moment a kayaker calls for help after seeing his friend ambushed by a 15ft crocodile.
In 2010, Chris Korbulic and Ben Stookesberry, both from the United States, were kayaking down the Lukuga River in the Democratic Republic of Congo when disaster struck.
In a shocking turn of events, another kayaker, Hendrik Coetzee, 35, was ripped from his raft by the deadly aquatic predator.
Video footage shows one of the two men calling for help as their friend was ambushed by the animal, which local residents said was “15 feet long and weighed two tonnes”.
Coetzee, born in South Africa but living in Uganda at the time, led the group of experienced kayakers on a mission to document unexplored whitewater and development projects in the area.
In 2010, Chris Korbulic and Ben Stookesberry, both Americans, were kayaking down the Lukuga River in the Democratic Republic of Congo when disaster struck.
After arriving in a nearby village shortly after the attack, Stookesberry radioed for help, saying: “It’s Ben, can you hear me?” We had a terrible accident here. Hendri just got caught by a crocodile
The Lukuga River is known for its high density of crocodiles and hippos that inhabit the area.
His body was never found and he is presumed dead following this tragic incident.
Korbulic, of Rogue River, Oregon, and Stookesberry, of Mount Shasta, California, had teamed up with Coetzee in an attempt to become the first to navigate the white waters of the Lukuga River.
The Lukuga River is notoriously dangerous due to its rushing water and navigation is risky due to the number of crocodiles and hippos in the area.
Speaking about the horrific incident in 2010, Korbulic said: “The crocodile just dragged him underwater. I think we were both in complete shock and disbelief, and absolutely horrified by what had just happened.
The trip’s corporate sponsor, Eddie Bauer, said in a statement: “We are saddened by this tragic accident and express our deepest condolences to Hendri’s family and friends.”
Korbulic linked to the statement on his Facebook page, along with a tribute that read: “My sympathies to the family; it’s sad for the kayaking community around the world.
In 2013, the sad story of Coetzee’s death was told in the National Geographic documentary, Man-Eater of The Congo.
