A devastating pair of crocodile attacks in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, has left a village in mourning after a mother and her son were killed by the same reptile within hours of each other. On Wednesday afternoon, 64-year-old Alvina Doki was washing clothes along the banks of the Ledewero River when a crocodile suddenly lunged from the murky waters, seizing her in its jaws. Her husband, Gabriel Sinyo, 60, recounted hearing a strange splashing sound before witnessing the attack. Desperate to save his wife, Gabriel hurled rocks at the animal, but it dragged Alvina underwater and vanished. Local authorities and villagers immediately launched a search, but her body remains missing.
Tragedy struck again that night as Alvina’s 35-year-old son, Wilsilius Lomi, joined volunteers scouring the river. Separating from the group to cover more ground, he was ambushed by the same crocodile. Witnesses watched helplessly as the reptile pulled him beneath the surface. His body, bearing claw and bite marks, was recovered 500 meters downstream the next morning and laid to rest.
“This is a heartbreaking loss for the family and community,” said Assistant Police Commissioner Yusuf Tarapadjang, confirming the injuries on Wilsilius’s legs and stomach. The search for Alvina continues, with authorities urging caution near waterways.
The attacks highlight a growing crisis in Indonesia, where human-crocodile conflicts are rising. In December 2023, a 13-foot saltwater crocodile killed 46-year-old Nurhawati Zihura as she washed her feet near her North Sumatra village. Villagers later distracted the animal with chicken carcasses to retrieve her body.
Experts attribute the surge in attacks to habitat disruption. Overfishing, coastal development, and tin mining have depleted crocodiles’ natural prey and pushed them closer to human settlements. With many rural communities relying on rivers for daily tasks, the risk of encounters remains high.
As Indonesia grapples with balancing conservation and safety, these incidents serve as a grim reminder of the fragile coexistence between humans and wildlife in the archipelago’s remote regions.
