KUCHING: Mathias Winston can count himself a very lucky man indeed.
- LUCKY TO BE ALIVE: Mathias being carried out of the ambulance after arriving from Serian.
The 37-year-old lorry driver from Kampung Samada, near Balai Ringin, survived a crocodile attack on Wednesday evening while bathing in a river near his village.
Though the 6.30pm attack badly injured his lower left leg, he was still in relatively good spirit and thanked his lucky stars he was able to escape with his life.
According to Mathias, he had gone to nearby Sungai Samada together with his 37-year-old wife Aja, having earlier returned from work at a factory not far away.
“I had just finished bathing and was making my way back to the river bank when the croc grabbed my leg and dragged me back into the deeper part of the river,” he said upon arrival at Sarawak General Hospital, where he was admitted for further treatment.
In what literally was a fight for his life, Mathias said he struggled with the reptile for “several minutes” as his wife watched helplessly from the river bank.
The reptile, which he approximated to be about two feet wide, finally released its grip on his leg and vanished when he jabbed his fingers into its eyes.
This allowed Mathias time to scramble his way back to the safety of the river bank.
The couple then hurriedly made their way back home before heading to Serian hospital for treatment.
The hospital later referred him here and he was admitted soon after arriving around midnight.
Asked how he felt about the whole incident, Mathias said it was “just one of those things” and revealed how his elderly uncle was similarly attacked by a crocodile earlier last year but also managed to escape with his life.
“My concern now is whether or not I can claim compensation through Socso since I definitely won’t be able to go back to work until I fully recover,” he said.