In Simeulue Island, in Aceh province (Indonesia), a crocodile approximately four meters long attacked and devoured a 35-year-old woman while she was collecting clams in the Luan Boya river. The incident occurred on February 15, 2026, around 11:00 (local time). The victim, identified as Jusmitawati, was doing this activity known as lokan, a common practice among local residents to collect mollusks, when the reptile surprised her and dragged her into the water in front of her companion and other residents. Her friend, who was on the shore, immediately gave notice, mobilizing neighbors, police authorities, and the local army in a search lasting several hours. In the videos following the attack, the crocodile is seen surfacing several times with the woman’s body in its jaws, while residents tried, unsuccessfully, to get it to release the body using sticks and ropes.
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After several attempts, the crowd managed to free the body, but the woman had already died. Later it was handed over to her family for burial according to local customs. Some residents, annoyed and affected, hit the crocodile once it was out of the water before the authorities coordinated its handling with the Aceh Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA). Local authorities have reinforced surveillance on rivers and warned the population about the dangers of entering areas where crocodiles live, especially during activities such as fishing, swimming, or shellfish gathering. They have also asked to immediately report sightings of wild fauna to prevent similar tragedies.
