Crocodile attack at farm could have been avoided – Victim’s sister
SANDAKAN: The incident where a crocodile farm part-time worker was attacked by the reptile last month could have been avoided if the farm is equipped with Occupational Safety and Health Standards, said a family member of the victim.
Carol Angkangon, who is the victim’s older sister, claimed the farm where her brother, Rudy Francis Angkangon @ Asraf, 35, was working was risky and claimed that the farm did not have the necessary security features for its employees.
According to Carol, some media reports of the event were unfair and inconsiderate and had tried to portray her brother as an unskilled and reckless worker. Her family also abhors the circulation of private information and graphic animation produced and circulated that was grossly misrepresented and had defamed Rudy’s integrity and professional character.
Rudy was left with a crushed right forearm and a severed leg in the attack which occurred at 1.45 pm last Feb 20. It happened when he tried to pet the reptile after feeding it.
He was rubbing the crocodile on its snout when the reptile suddenly turned on him.
Recalling the attack, Rudy said he had to use every strength, knowledge, guile and instinct to come out alive.
The reptile had lunged and gripped Rudy’s right arm with its vise-like jaws and dragged him to the knee-deep water to begin its deathly roll to kill its victim. In that short space of time, Rudy was able to quickly position himself by hugging the reptile’s under belly to avoid further bites and the force of its swinging tail.
In the ensuing struggle, he scrambled and gouged the crocodile’s eye as hard as possible with his ebbing strength and in doing so, the reptile released his right arm from its vice-like grip. At this point, farm hands, alerted by Rudy’s cries for help, rushed to the scene and tried with whatever was at their means to prise the crocodile from him.
As soon as his mangled and torn right arm was released, Rudy scrambled out of the water but slipped. The crocodile made another lunge and grabbed Rudy’s right leg in its jaws. A deadly tussle between the crocodile and the farm hands ensued in trying to extricate Rudy from its deadly grip.
In that moment of doom, Rudy decided saving his life means more than his right leg, which by now was almost severed from the force of the crocodile’s pull. In desperation, he shouted to the farm hands to just pull him to safety regardless of the situation with his leg. As a result, his leg was completely dismembered from the knee joint.
Rudy was removed from the enclosure and laid on a tarpaulin under the hot sun. In extreme pain, his first aid intuition was to grab some pieces of materials to tie a tourniquet to stop the profuse bleeding on his severed limb.
When the ambulance eventually arrived, Rudy had suffered severe loss of blood and body fluids. His condition deteriorated and he went into cardiac arrest while in the emergency room of the Duchess of Kent hospital.
Carol said the swift action of the medical team managed to revive his brother for which their family are greatly indebted. Rudy was immediately rushed into the operating theatre for immediate attention. Sadly, his arm and leg were too mutilated and therefore could not be saved.
It is a miracle that Rudy had survived the attack as the percentage of crocodile attacks almost always point to a fatality. The severity of his injuries would prevent Rudy from living a fully functional life. His right arm and leg had to be amputated and consequently his movement would be restricted and may have to use prosthesis for his entire life.
“We believe the incident could have been avoided had proper occupational health and safety standards were in place. The nature of Rudy’s employment, working environment and living conditions can be termed ‘hazardous work’. However, none of these basic safety requirements were enforced or in place for Rudy or any of the workers.
“It will take a long time for Rudy to heal and the path ahead for him is challenging. His fighting spirit is strong but he will need help and support from family, friends and the community to continue living,” Carol said.
His concerns have also grown in proportion at the thought of losing the ability to be the breadwinner for his growing family. He worries about the present condition and future of his children. Despite his brave front, Rudy’s nightmare ordeal will always be a painful reminder.
Rudy is a devoted husband to wife Nur Aisa bte Hatta and a loving father to Dahlia, their twoyear old daughter. The couple are also expecting their second child.
His family would however like to acknowledge the following agencies for their swift response in providing immediate assistance, namely, the director and medical officers of Duchess of Kent hospital, director and staff of Socso (PERKESO) and director and staff of Sabah Welfare Department (Sandakan branch).
With all of the continuous support and prayers, Rudy has indicated his determination to come back stronger and continue with his commitment in the campaign for nature education, Carol said.
Rudy’s career started 18 years ago as a certified tourist guide, promoting Sabah’s nature and wildlife to the world. It was during this time that his passion arose in wanting to learn more about wildlife behaviour.
He then received training as a wildlife presenter at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park in Penampang and thereafter took up a position in the education division of the independent Samjaya Mini Zoo in Sandakan.
During his stint here, he contributed extensively to creating a sense of appreciation and awareness on the importance of wildlife and protecting the habitat through outreach programs with schoolchildren in the district through sessions that were lively and informative.
Rudy was credited to have successfully developed the Birds of Prey education program at the mini zoo.
Following his success at Samjaya, he was offered by the Sandakan Crocodile Farm to develop the farm’s attraction through education.