A pastor has died after a crocodile mauled him as he baptised believers in a lake in Ethiopia.
Protestant minister Docho Eshetu was conducting a mass baptism on the shore of Lake Abaya, near the town of Arba Minch, in the south-western part of the country, when the reptile attacked him.
Local resident Ketema Kairo told the BBC’s Amharic-language service that the Sunday afternoon ceremony had just begun when the incident occurred.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“He baptised the first person and he passed on to another one,” he said. “All of a sudden, a crocodile jumped out of the lake and grabbed the pastor.”
Despite the best efforts of parishioners and bystanders, the pastor was bitten on his legs, back and arms and could not be saved.
Nearby fishermen used their nets to retrieve the body before the crocodile could drag it further into the lake.
Lake Abaya, one of Ethiopia’s largest lakes, “is known to have a huge crocodile population”, according to Ethiopian news site Borkena.
Despite a lack of state media coverage, news of the gruesome accident spread rapidly after eyewitnesses shared their accounts on social media, the site says.
-
Spaniards seeing red over bullfightingUnder the Radar Shock resignation of top matador is latest blow in culture war over tradition that increasingly divides Spain
-
Bailouts: Why Trump is rescuing ArgentinaFeature The White House approved a $20 billion currency swap with Argentina
-
James indictment: Trump’s retributionFeature Trump pursues charges against Letitia James in revenge for her civil fraud lawsuit
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
