Teen strangled to death by wild python during hike

Five teenage boys from South Sulawesi, Indonesia had gone for a hike in the jungle. One of the boys met a gruesome end when a large wild python attacked him. The boy, named Alifan, was strangled by the predator. His friends and some villagers tried to get the snake to release the teen but they were too late. The snake was killed during the rescue attempt but they were unable to save the boy.

The teenagers had embarked on a hike through the mountains in the Nontonunu District of Bombana Regency on Sunday, June 14. The group had planned on hiking to a jungle waterfall where they would have spent the day. During the journey, Alifan had ventured ahead of his friends. He was around 10 meters ahead when the snake attacked him.

The snake latched onto Alifan's thigh, making it difficult for him to escape. Alifan's screams upon being bitten alerted his friends. At first, his friends were unable to see where Alifan was. By the time they found him, the snake had wrapped itself around the teenager.

According to The Sun, 16-year-olds Andi Robin, Segal Rifki, Saldi, and 18-year-old Sahrul saw that the python had wrapped around Alifan's head and neck. Three of the teens stayed with Alifan and tried to get the snake to release him. One of the boys rushed to a nearby village to get help.

Locals rushed to the spot where the teenagers had been struggling with the 23-foot long serpent. The villagers started hacking at the snake using machetes. They managed to kill the python in order to release the boy. However, by the time they managed to free Alifan from the constrictor's grip, he had passed away. The powerful animal had strangled Alifan while the villagers were trying to save him.

An Indonesian news site, Kompas Online, reported that two of Alifan's friends were also bitten by the snake. They recalled that when they were trying to free Alifan, the snake let go of his thigh and started striking the other boys. Even though pythons are not poisonous, their bite can get infected if left untreated. The two teens who were bitten by the python received treatment for their injuries.

Alifan's body was sent to his family to be buried.