Australian tour operator has lucky escape in crocodile attack

Sean Dearly shows off his bandaged arm after the crocodile attack (Channel 9 via AP)

An Australian wildlife tour operator said he was lucky to escape more serious injury or even death when a crocodile lunged from a river and clamped his hand in its jaws.

Sean Dearly was attacked on Monday on the Adelaide river in the Northern Territory which is renowned for its “jumping crocodiles” – large crocodiles that rise vertically from the water to snatch chicken carcasses dangled from long poles extended from tourist cruise boats.