Ethiopian pastor killed by crocodile during lake baptism
Reptile fatally mauled preacher as he dunked believers in Lake Abaya
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.
Subscribe to 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.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Europe's growing wolf problem
Under The Radar Plans are underway to allow EU farmers to kill wolves but is the predator being unfairly attacked?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Magazine printables - December 13, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - December 13, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
Magazine printables - December 13, 2024
Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - December 13, 2024
By The Week US Published
-
Cutting cables: the war being waged under the sea
In the Spotlight Two undersea cables were cut in the Baltic sea, sparking concern for the global network
By The Week UK Published
-
The nuclear threat: is Vladimir Putin bluffing?
Talking Point Kremlin's newest ballistic missile has some worried for Nato nations
By The Week UK Published
-
Russia vows retaliation for Ukrainian missile strikes
Speed Read Ukraine's forces have been using U.S.-supplied, long-range ATCMS missiles to hit Russia
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Has the Taliban banned women from speaking?
Today's Big Question 'Rambling' message about 'bizarre' restriction joins series of recent decrees that amount to silencing of Afghanistan's women
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Cuba's energy crisis
The Explainer Already beset by a host of issues, the island nation is struggling with nationwide blackouts
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseases
Under the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies hang over Sydney's Mardi Gras
The Explainer Police officer, the former partner of TV presenter victim, charged with two counts of murder after turning himself in
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published