Soccer player Jesús Alberto López dies after being attacked by a crocodile while bathing in a river
The neighbors killed the crocodile to recover the footballer's body and give him a decent burial
Devastating news has shocked the soccer community in Costa Rica. Jesús Alberto López, a talented 29-year-old player who was part of the Deportivo Río Cañas club, tragically lost his life after being attacked by a crocodile while taking a 'dip' in a river near the town of Santa Cruz, in the province of Guanacaste, in the northwest of the country.
According to stories from those close to him, Jesús decided to cool off from the heat before visiting some cousins and jumped into the river without realizing that the area was frequented only for fishing due to the presence of crocodiles. "Unfortunately he made a wrong decision, and by going in for a bath what happened happened," lamented his coach, Luis Montes.
Neighbors who witnessed the terrible incident saw how the crocodile was dragging the young man's body. Although they captured the distressing moment on video, the fatality could not be avoided. "Unfortunately, the reptile captured and sank him. We still don't know if he drowned or because of the pressure that the crocodile exerted on its prey," said Marcelino Hernández, Police sergeant.
The Police intervened to recover the footballer's body and would have shot the crocodile to free Jesus, which unfortunately caused the death of the animal.
The young man, nicknamed 'Chuco' by friends and family, was entombed in an emotional funeral on August 1, with his teammates in attendance. His loved ones remember him as a humble and hard-working man, dedicated to supporting his two children, ages two and 10. The Deportivo Río Cañas club also expressed its sorrow for the loss of him, highlighting his talent as a soccer player and his importance as a sports figure in the community.
While the investigations continue to clarify the facts and the actions of the police, the National System of Conservation Areas (Sinac) has declared its commitment to improve the control of crocodiles due to their increasing presence in the country's rivers.