Alligator Drags Florida Woman Underwater as Quick Thinking Boater Saves Her Life

(Dina Rae Spann. Photo Credit: The Sun Nigeria)

A boater's swift intervention prevented a tragedy after a nearly 10-foot alligator dragged a woman underwater during a weekend outing in Florida's Silver River, east of Ocala.

The 58-year-old swimmer, Dina Rae Spann, was with her family when a 9-foot 8-inch alligator launched a high-speed assault on Saturday.

She attempted to defend herself with a paddle, but the reptile bit her arm and severed it completely, also consuming one finger from her other hand.

John Gamache, who was having lunch nearby with his father, noticed the alligator approaching the group at alarming speed across the clear water.

By the time he navigated his boat to reach Spann, the reptile had released her.

The sound of his approaching vessel sent the alligator fleeing.

Gamache discovered the swimmer clinging to a paddleboard amid chaos, with nearby bathers in panic and the water clouded with blood.

He quickly fashioned a tourniquet from rope around her severely injured arm and rushed her and other swimmers to a nearby boat launch.

First responders transported Spann to hospital for emergency care.

She was discharged the following day and is now recovering at home following amputation of her right arm.

Spann's son suggested that out-of-state visitors feeding alligators in the river may have emboldened the animal, as the reptiles are typically timid around humans.

He emphasised his mother's resilience despite her injuries.

Gamache's family later expressed their gratitude for his life-saving actions.

Following the attack, authorities temporarily closed the river to locate and remove the alligator, reopening it the next day.