A Florida woman lost her right arm in a severe alligator attack on the Silver River near Ocala on Saturday. The incident occurred as the woman was swimming with a group when an alligator approached, and she attempted to fend it off with a paddle.
John Gamache, who was on his boat nearby, heard the commotion and saw the alligator heading towards the swimmers. He rapidly steered his boat towards the group, which apparently caused the alligator to retreat. Upon reaching the woman, Gamache observed a severe injury with significant blood loss. He used rope from his boat to create a tourniquet for her arm while his father helped the remaining swimmers, including children, to safety on the boat.
The pair then transported the group to a nearby boat launch where emergency services were waiting. The woman was hospitalized and has since been released and is recovering at home.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers later located and removed the alligator, described as approximately 9 feet 8 inches long. The area was reopened to the public on Sunday.
This attack follows a similar incident in early July near Orlando, where 31-year-old Brittany Clark died after an alligator attack while swimming in the Econlockhatchee River. Clark's boyfriend reported that an alligator bit both of her arms, severing one and nearly tearing off the other, before he could fight the animal off and call for help. She was pronounced dead before reaching a hospital.