Incredible story of how a fearless guy fought off a huge 5m crocodile after it grabbed his mate and repeatedly rolled him to death
- Lachlan McDougall Monk mauled by a fang while collecting eggs
- Rowan ‘Rowdy’ Sutton managed to save his colleague’s life
- Industry sources say the pair are ‘extremely lucky’ to be alive
Incredible details have emerged of how a guy fought off a huge five-metre crocodile with a machete after it mauled and ‘rolled to death’ his mate.
Lachlan McDougall Monk, 29, wouldn’t be alive today if it weren’t for the heroic actions of colleague Rowan ‘Rowdy’ Sutton after a crocodile egg collection mission in the Northern Territory nearly ended in tragedy last Thursday.
NT WorkSafe is currently investigating what industry sources have described as a “one in a million” event.
Both men are lucky to survive nearly a year after the recent death of another egg collector on a similar mission.
The pair were retrieving eggs from a nest in a remote area along the Daly River south of Darwin when the crocodile pounced on the men and threw them into shallow water.
Rowan Sutton (pictured on previous work) saved the life of his mate who was mauled by a 5m crocodile last Thursday
The crocodile latched onto McDougall Monk’s right leg, dragged him down and rolled him to death at least twice, The Australian reported.
Sutton attacked the crocodile with a machete until he finally let go.
Due to the remoteness, colleagues of the men in an airboat carried out first aid at the scene before McDougall Monk was winched to safety in a private helicopter and flown to a hangar, where paramedics waited.
He was airlifted to Darwin for urgent surgery before being transferred to Adelaide – and later Sydney – in critical condition.
McDougall Monk’s leg was so wild it’s feared he might lose his leg. He is now in serious but stable condition.
Rowan ‘Rowdy’ Sutton (pictured right) attacked the huge crocodile with a machete until the predator let go of his colleague’s leg
Sutton reportedly told Instagram followers to “see the sunrise” and “seize the day” following her heartbreaking ordeal.
An industry source described the near-tragedy as a freak incident and that the pair are “extremely lucky” to still be alive.
“I’ve worked with a lot of fangs in my life and I’ve never seen anything like it in the wild,” they told The Australian.
‘No one has ever seen it before.
“I don’t know how they got out of there alive.
The near-tragedy comes nearly a year after a Outback Wrangler TV series actor has died in a helicopter crash during a similar mission.
The couple were on a mission to collect crocodile eggs (stock image) when the job nearly ended in tragedy
Rowan ‘Rowdy’ Sutton has urged Instagram followers to ‘seize the day’ after his terrifying encounter with a 5m crocodile
Chris Wilson, 34, was killed last February when his helicopter collided with trees and the ground in West Arnhem Land.
Some of those who rushed to the aid of McDougall Monk in a private helicopter last Thursday had also witnessed the West Armen Land scene where Mr Wilson was killed last February. Owan Sutton
Mr Wilson was attached to the line with a harness so he could harvest eggs from hard-to-reach crocodile nests. His close companion, Outback Wrangler star Matt Wright, and two other men were later charged in connection with the incident.
NT WorkSafe banned the practice of collecting crocodile eggs dangling from a helicopter with a harness following the tragedy.
Chris ‘Willow’ Wilson (pictured) was killed in a helicopter crash while collecting crocodile eggs last February
