(WSVN) - A pastor was killed by a crocodile as he baptized members of his congregation in a lake in Ethiopia.
Protestant pastor Docho Eshete presided over the ceremony this past weekend at Lake Abaya, Ethiopia’s second largest lake, the BBC reports.
As he baptized about 80 people in the murky water, multiple witnesses said a crocodile jumped out of the water and attacked him.
“He baptized the first person and he passed on to another one,” local resident Ketema Kairo told the BBC. “All of a sudden, a crocodile jumped out of the lake and grabbed the pastor.”
Members of the congregation and fishermen attempted to rescue Eshete, thorwing nets to keep the reptile from dragging his victim deeper into the water.
Eshete suffered bite wounds on his back, legs and hands, and was already dead by the time they managed to pull him from the water. The crocodile managed to escape.
According to the Telegraph, Lake Abaya is known for having a sizable crocodile population. The lake’s reddish-brown water also makes it tough to spot a crocodile until it surfaces; by then, it may be too late.
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