Congo crocodile snatches outdoors expert from canoe

A SOUTH AFRICAN outdoors expert is feared dead after a crocodile snatched him from his kayak while he led an American expedition from the source of the White Nile into the heart of Congo.

Two Americans being guided by 35-year-old South African Hendrik Coetzee on the gruelling trip could only watch in horror. They paddled unharmed to safety after the attack on the Lukuga River in Congo.

The International Rescue Committee helped evacuate the Americans to a nearby town, said Ciaran Donnelly, the organisation’s regional director in Congo.

Coetzee’s body has not been recovered. The stretch of river where the trio were travelling is notoriously dangerous because of its whitewater, and the high density of crocodiles and hippos.

One of the Americans recounted on his blog how Coetzee has warned them about the dangers of the trip, including “three-ton hippos that will bite you in half.”

“Stay off the banks because the crocs are having a bake and might fancy you for lunch. Basically, stay close behind me and follow my lead. Any questions?” the blog quoted Coetzee as saying.

In a blog called The Great White Explorer that chronicled the trip, sponsored by the Eddie Bauer clothing and outdoor equipment company, Coetzee wrote about the thrill of taking to uncharted waters, including stretches that might soon disappear due to planned dams. He also described sometimes facing suspicion from military and officials.

A friend, Celliers Kruger, who owns a South African kayaking company, called Coetzee a legend.

“He was the bravest guy I’ve ever known,” Kruger said. “But he wasn’t crazy. He was very calculated and set the bar high for }future exploration in Africa.”

Coetzee wasn’t just interested in the adrenaline rush, said Hugh du Preez, a friend who kayaked with him. “He also had a fantastic social conscience,” he said, explaining that Coetzee ran kayak trips for underprivileged kids in Sudan. “He was one of those people that would look after others not only in a physical sense, but also nurture them spiritually and mentally.”

Eddie Bauer said the trip was a first-of-its-kind kayaking expedition from the White Nile and Congo rivers into Congo. The three men, all experienced kayakers, were documenting unexplored whitewater and development projects in the region.

The two Americans, Ben Stookesberry and Chris Korbulic, are in Congo but expect to return home to the US shortly.

Hippo and crocodile attacks on humans are not uncommon in Africa.

Johnny Rodrigues, a wildlife expert in Zimbabwe, said parks authorities there are reluctant to give out numbers for fear of scaring away tourists.