American tourists attacked by saltwater crocodile in Mexico

The tourists were treated on the scene after sustaining multiple wounds.Photo / Unsplash

Two American tourists were injured by a crocodile at a resort in Mexico while swimming at night.

The two men from Colorado were staying at a Puerto Vallarta resort when one decided to go swimming in the ocean at night on July 18.

One man, 24, sustained injuries to his legs, right arm, chest and abdomen, according to a tweet from the Jalisco State Civil Protection and Fire Department Unit.

The civil defence office in the western state of Jalisco said the man was bitten on his legs, arm, abdomen and chest.

Wading into the water to help his friend, the second man was also attacked, and suffered a wound to his hand.

Both men were given first aid at the scene.

Found on Mexico's Pacific coast, in Jalisco state, Puerto Vallarta is a resort town known for beautiful beaches, water sports and a thriving nightlife scene.

Crocodile attacks around the world

As unfortunate as the event was, it is not a surprise; crocodiles are a common sight on the Pacific coastline around Puerto Vallarta resort.

This follows several reports of alligator attacks in the US.

Last week, an 80-year-old woman from Florida died after she fell into a pond at the Boca Royale Golf and Country Club in Englewood and was attacked by two alligators.

Earlier in summer, an unidentified person died after they were dragged into a pond in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina by an alligator. Weeks before, Florida police discovered the body of a 47-year-old man in an alligator-infested lake.

It is difficult to know how many crocodile and alligator attacks happen globally each year due to the number of events that occur in remote areas and are unreported.

Typically, alligators are less aggressive than crocodiles, and less likely to attack humans.

In Florida, the conservation commission reported 442 unprovoked alligator bites between 1948 to 2021. This averages six per year. Of the bites, 26 were fatal, which makes for one fatal injury every three years.

Over in Australia, an average of one-two people die each year due to crocodile attacks, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics data.