Police officer lowered into crocodile-infested river to recover human remains

Police suspect the human remains belong to a businessman swept away by floodwater last week. South African police officer lowered into crocodile-infested river to recover human remains South African Police recover crocodile by helicopter in search for human remains Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. A grainy screen grab showing a rope with a crocodile on the end with a man holding on higher up Police officer lowered into crocodile-infested river to recover human remains The police said it was a "highly dangerous and complex operation" A crocodile is seen hanging from a large cord hanging from a helicopter Police in South Africa have managed to recover human remains after an officer was lowered from a helicopter into a crocodile-infested river in the search for a businessman swept away by floodwater last week. The reptile suspected to have eaten the missing man had already been killed but Captain Johan "Pottie" Potgieter said it was still a nerve-wracking experience. "The sharp-end of a crocodile is not the best place to approach it," he told the News24 website. "The sharp-end of a crocodile is not the best place to approach it," he After Potgieter had used a rope to secure the animal, both were hoisted away from the Komati River in the north-east of the country. DNA tests will now be carried out to confirm if the remains are those of the missing man. His car had become stranded attempting to cross a low bridge in the flooded river last week. By the time the police got to the scene, it was empty, leading them to suspect he had been swept away by the water, Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo told the national broadcaster, SABC. His car had become stranded attempting to cross a low bridge in the flooded river last week. By the time the police got to the scene, it was empty, leading them to suspect he had been swept away by the water, Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo The authorities used drones and helicopters in the search mission and noticed a small island where a number of crocodiles were basking in the sun, recounted Potgieter, commander of a police diving unit. He said that from years of experience, they could tell that one of the animals had recently eaten. "Besides having a massively full tummy, he didn't move around or try to slip into the river despite the noise of the drones and the chopper," he told News24. The reptile was then killed before Potgieter embarked on what police described as the "highly dangerous and complex operation" to recover it. The reptile was then killed before Potgieter embarked on what police described as the "highly dangerous and complex operation" The massive crocodile, measuring 4.5m (15ft) and weighing 500kg (1,100lb), was then flown to the nearby Kruger National Park, where human remains were discovered inside its intestines. Potgieter said that as well as the body parts, six different types of shoe were found. He said this could indicate it had killed other people but not necessarily: "A crocodile will eat or swallow anything." South Africa's acting police chief, Lt-Gen Puleng Dimpane praised Potgieter for his bravery. A flooded, closed road road in Kruger national park. Kruger National Park shuts as deadly floods strike South Africa South Africa debates changing name of world-famous Kruger park Two giant African harvester ants - reddish in colour - seen on some rocks One ant for $220: The new frontier of wildlife trafficking A woman looking at her mobile phone and the graphic BBC News Africa Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent. for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica The Thalattosuchian's jawbone was a chance find on a guided fossil walk run by a museum. Scientists say the crocodiles hunted like leopards by climbing trees and killing prey below. The three brothers were born at Crocodiles of the World in Brize Norton earlier this year. There has been a wave of anti-migrant protests in South Africa, some of which have turned violent. Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, who came third and fourth respectively in the last elections, switch parties. The World Health Organization said one case of hantavirus infection had been confirmed, with five more suspected cases under investigation. Unwitting donors hand over money to save suffering animals but Ugandan con artists pocket the cash. A search and rescue operation is underway for the service members, who are believed to have been involved in an accident, according to authorities.