Gator kills swimmer at Blue Spring, Orange City, Florida

[metaldector]

Went to Blue Spring early this morning to dive. While checking in several police and emergence cars entered the park. When we parked a large fire engine was blocking the walk way to the park. Thought better to find out what had happened before suiting up. Very few people in the park and police were talking to an older woman. She said her swimming companion had disappeared while swimming. They closed the park, and roped off the access to the river. Helicopters, dive teams, sheriff dept., Orange City police, and FWC officers swarmed the area. Then all of the TV crews showed up.
My daughter noticed a few police running towards the mouth of the river so she and a friend followed. I was a little bit behind her with my wife. Then police pushed us all away from the river and took out assault rifles and posted shooters every 50 feet. My daughter and friend reported that they had seen the body underwater and a big gator on top of it. The police brought a large power boat up the river and shot a blast from the prop at the body and the gator moved a few feet away but stayed near the body.
After several hours of waiting we saw a wildlife animal catcher come with his gear and scuba divers from the county dive rescue team were suited up waiting to recover the body. We didn't wait any longer instead left. We'd been there since 9:30 AM and it was 1:30 PM, no dead gator but diving wasn't going to happen today. Found out the swimmer was a 63 year old male.
I have been diving there for years, never saw a gator up near the swimming area. I suspect since so few people were in the water not making the usual noise it gave the gator free access and a undisturbed approach. Too bad for the victim and his swimming partner.

[Jack Hammer]

Yikes!

[jj1987]

Then police pushed us all away from the river and took out assault rifles and posted shooters every 50 feet.

That's about what happened when I was diving with an OW friend and forgot that I had backup lights on my harness.

[FW]

http://www.wesh.com/news/swimmer-pos...s-say/35918330

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...019-story.html

http://www.mynews13.com/content/news..._state_pa.html

[Dsix36]

Did they really need to kill the gator? What a waste!!!!

[JohnnyC]

Did they really need to kill the gator? What a waste!!!!

Once they get the taste of human flesh it's all over, Debbie Gibson starts making movies about them.....

Sad and a waste. Unfortunately sometimes you just can't catch and relocate animals. I know they kill mountain lions every year out here.

[Cave Diver Wayne]

What a sad story, my heart goes out to the family...Please know there are lots of people feeling your pain.

[MarkR]

Did they really need to kill the gator? What a waste!!!!

Yup, you can't have a big gator in that area thats lost its fear of people. I don't like to see them killed either, but the next victim could be somebody's kid!

[JE]

Side Note: I was kayaking with a friend during winter months on the approach to Blue Spgs, & we observed large gators attacking manatee just inside the barrier ! This was during the warmer weather of February. Makes you wonder.

[MarkR]

Side Note: I was kayaking with a friend during winter months on the approach to Blue Spgs, & we observed large gators attacking manatee just inside the barrier ! This was during the warmer weather of February. Makes you wonder.

More than one? ...Wow, I don't think its usual for them to attack something that big.