American tourist loses arm during crocodile attack at Mexican lagoon

An American tourist lost his arm in a crocodile attack as he went to relieve himself in a Mexican lagoon.

The man, who was reportedly intoxicated, was urinating in the Nichupte Lagoon in Cancun on Sunday (2 July) when the crocodile came out of the water and bit his forearm off at the elbow, The Sun reported. The victim, identified as 40-year-old Cal Monzon, struggled with the deadly reptile and was able to escape.

An on duty security guard heard Monzon's screams coming from the lagoon, which is where he was found, Riviera Maya News reported.

The victim was taken to a local hospital where he underwent emergency surgery, according to The Sun. Monzon, a guest at Rui Peninsula, lost the remainder of his arm due to the severity of his injuries.

Monzon is said to be in a critical condition and is fighting for his life, The Sun reported.

The Nichupte, in the south-eastern Mexican state of Quintana Roo, is known for its crocodile-infested waters, with some of the reptiles reaching up to three meters long.

Last year, a similar incident occurred when another American man was attacked while spearfishing in a lagoon in Cancun. Jonathan Schoeneman was attacked by a 13-foot crocodile which latched on to his skull with its teeth.

Schoeneman, who survived the attack, needed 200 stitches and had metal plates inserted into his skull. "I just got this hand and kept punching it inside the mouth," he said. "And then with this hand I was hooking his eyes. I could hear my bones cracking, just cracking all the time."