A 31-year-old woman died after an alligator attacked her in the Econlockhatchee River near Orlando, Florida, on Sunday. The victim, whose identity has not been released, was swimming with friends when the alligator bit off both of her arms, according to authorities and a 911 call obtained by NBC News.
The attack occurred around 1:30 p.m. in the Little Big Econ State Forest, where the group had waded into 3-feet-deep water to cool off. The woman’s boyfriend attempted to free her from the alligator’s grip while calling 911 for help. In the emergency call, a female voice can be heard saying, 'Both her arms, both her arms are off,' and later confirming one arm was barely attached while the other was 'gone.'
The victim died before reaching a hospital, according to Grant Eller, a lieutenant with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Seminole County Sheriff’s deputies and a professional alligator trapper later captured two alligators near the scene—one measuring 13 feet and the other 12 feet. Their DNA is being analyzed to determine which one attacked the woman.
The incident was part of a series of alligator attacks in Central Florida over the weekend. On Saturday, a child was bitten in the hand while fishing at Nelson Fish Camp in Marion County. An FWC officer euthanized the 8-foot-7-inch alligator involved in that attack. The FWC has urged residents to report 'nuisance alligators' and avoid feeding them, as fed alligators may lose their natural wariness of humans.
Authorities have emphasized the rarity of serious alligator injuries in Florida but recommend swimming only in designated areas during daylight hours and keeping pets leashed near water.