Two sisters – one seven years old and another nine – were attacked by a crocodile on Monday at around 10am at Buasi, Salamaua, in Morobe Province.
The girls’ parents had gone to the garden, leaving them with their grandmother. The grandmother, who wanted to wash their dishes at the nearby estuarine, known as Wara Buasi, took the girls with her.
Ward 16 Councillor of Lutu-Busamang, Philemon Tomala, said the girls ran ahead of their grandmother and were splashing about in the water when the crocodile attacked.
“Pukpuk kam na kisim displa liklik gel. Em holim displa liklik pinis na em laik grebim the second one, who is bigger. Maybe han blo pukpuk em go sot na skretchim em tasol na liklik ya, em (kisim) na ronowe.”
Villagers from Buakap, Asini and Busamang immediately mobilised and started combing the waterway on Monday evening.
The search turned into a full blown hunt on Tuesday as boats filled with men and youth slashed the water lilies and cleared the passage in an attempt to force the crocodile out.
The seven-year-old’s remains were found at around 10am on a dry spot near the waterway; only her upper torso and left hand were intact.
Her remains were placed in a garbage bag and taken to her parents’ home while her elder sister was sent to Lae to get her wounds treated.
Councillor Tomala said crocodile attacks are rare; the first incident occurred between 1940 and 1950, where a youth was snatched at the mouth of Wara Buasi. The second occurrence involved the killing of an elderly woman in the late 80s while the seven-year-old’s killing is the third.
Meantime, preparations are made to accommodate police officers from Lae, who will be helping the villagers in their search for the crocodile. Women and girls from the three villages have been manning the kitchen while the men are keeping a sharp lookout for the predator.
