Croc kills 2nd person in a week whilst diving for bechedemer

Police conducts enquiry into death of a male person in Central province

  Officers of the Royal Solomon Island Police Force (RSIPF) at the Yandina Police Station in Central Province have conducted an inquiry into a male person in his 20s believed to be killed by a crocodile in a bay between Pavuvu and Banika passage in the Russell Islands early hours on 28 September 2021.

The crocodile attack had happened when the deceased and three boys from Lauave village went out to dive beche-de-mer. The Crocodile attacked the deceased, crabbed and drowned him in the sea.”

Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Central Province, Superintendent David Soakai says, “A search was conducted by villagers and just this morning they found the body of the deceased under water within the same location. They tried to retrieve the body but were unsuccessful due to the depth of the place that was unable to reach the deceased.”

PPC Soakai says, “Police have liaised with the Explosive Ordnance Device (EOD) Unit divers to assist in recovering the body of the deceased. An enquiry file is open to ascertain the cause of the death.”

Mr Soakai says, “My condolences to the relatives of the deceased for the loss of their loved one.”

“I call on communities and individuals to take extra precautionary measures whenever they go out at night for diving beche-de-mer. Now that the Solomon Island Government is lifting the beche-de-mer ban, it is a risk for our people to be involved in such activities during night times,” says PPC Soakai.

Only this week, police reported that a man was killed by a crocodile in the Western Province after he was attacked by a reptile whilst he was diving for BDM.

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