Tourists were not warned about crocodile attacks, residents claim

The Sri Lankan authorities were last night struggling to contain the damaging fallout from the death of a British journalist killed in a crocodile attack.

Officials have ordered police to erect warning signs in the area where Paul McClean, 24, a reporter on the Financial Times, was attacked as he washed himself in the mouth of a river, near the beach where he was learning to surf.

Residents claimed that visitors to the southern Sri Lankan beach resort where Mr McClean was killed were not warned of the possibility of crocodile attacks in the area.

The authorities fear the local tourist economy, which draws thousands every year to the area’s long sandy beaches, could be hit as a result of the tragedy.

Sub Inspector T. D. Gayana Sampath Ratnayake, said: “Following this incident the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in the area has instructed us to put warning boards in several languages.”

Mr McClean had arrived in the country from London for a holiday earlier this week, with a group of British and American friends, and had gone on a surfing lesson at the Safa Surf School when Thursday afternoon’s the tragedy happened.

He was last seen screaming for help and waving his hands in the air as the large reptile grabbed him.

Locals told the Telegraph that despite the rivers in the area being infested with crocodiles  the authorities had not taken any measures to warn either the locals or visiting foreigners.

Wijeya Wijesinghe, a teacher who visited the scene in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, told The Telegraph: “A number of locals, specially fishermen, had seen crocodiles in the area. There were few incidents of crocodile attacks but there were casualties. However no local authority or the tourist industry had taken measures to warn the tourist about danger.”

In one of the first detailed accounts of the attack Mr Wijesinghe said: “A local fisherman who was fishing in the other side of the lagoon about 20 meters away from the place from the tragic incident took place had seen the crocodile getting into water.

“A few minutes later he saw the hands of victim who seemed to be struggling to save himself from the crocodile.”

Navy divers recovered Mr McClean’s body yesterday morning from the muddy lagoon bed near Elephant Rock beach where it had been buried by the crocodile.

A local magistrate is overseeing an investigation into the tragedy, with a post mortem due to be held today (Saturday).

An initial examination revealed horrific wounds to Mr McClean’s legs, from where he had been dragged into the water by the crocodile.

After travelling to southern Sri Lanka and spending time in the resort of  Unawatuna, Mr McLean and his friends moved on to the East Beach Surf Resort in Arugambey where they arranged for surf lessons with an outside operator.

With Mr McLean were his school friend Chris Baller and Lorenzo Cadoux-Hudson. Mr Baller yesterday posted a recent photograph of himself hugging Mr McClean on a Sri Lankan mountain top, in tribute to his friend.

Source: Telegraph.co.uk

-Agencies