A tragic incident unfolded in South Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, when a 14-year-old boy was fatally attacked by a crocodile as he washed clothes in a river, witnessed by his friends and younger sibling.
On Monday, Jan. 5, 2026, Muhammad Rafli Hamzah was abruptly assaulted by a crocodile while he was doing his laundry. The crocodile attacked and pulled him underwater. Despite his struggles, the boy was dragged away from the riverbank and vanished beneath the water’s surface.
Shortly after the incident, a search started involving relatives and rescue teams. The Kendari Search and Rescue Office sent a team to the site around 3:30 p.m. WITA. Amiruddin, the search coordinator, stated that the search operation took place along the river, utilizing several boats, including some owned by local fishermen.
After an extended search, Muhammad’s lifeless body was located floating in the river about 200 meters (218 yards) from where the attack occurred. The body was recovered by a joint team from the search-and-rescue teams and firefighters.
The Kolono Police Chief, Ipda Alimudin Latif, confirmed multiple bite wounds on the body and urged residents to remain cautious. The region’s tropical climate is conducive to estuarine crocodiles. Overfishing has significantly reduced their natural food supply, pushing the reptiles to seek alternative sources of prey. When their usual food becomes scarce, crocodiles are more inclined to encroach on areas with human activity.
Coastal development and habitat loss have also played a significant part. As coastal areas in Indonesia are transformed into farms and urban settlements, crocodiles are losing their traditional nesting and hunting grounds. The encroachment of villagers into natural habitats due to widespread tin mining operations has created a dangerous overlap between human activities and wildlife territories.
In several rural parts of Indonesia, residents continue to use rivers for bathing and fishing because of limited infrastructure and access to other water sources, leading to increased dangerous encounters with crocodiles in recent years.
This tragedy in South Konawe is not a standalone incident. In December 2025, a crocodile attack in Indonesia’s North Maluku region claimed the life of a 10-year-old boy, who was killed while swimming in the Inggoi River with friends.
Hendra Gunawan, South Halmahera Police Chief, noted that the area was a known crocodile habitat. “Crocodiles still often appear there,” he said. “The locals say they’re swamp crocodiles.”
The fatal incidents in South Konawe and North Maluku highlight the pressing need for effective strategies to manage human-crocodile interactions in Indonesia. Authorities in the affected regions are urging residents, especially parents supervising children near waterways, to be more vigilant.