A man has been taken to hospital with serious injuries after being bitten by a crocodile three times while spearfishing 300km north of Cairns.
The 44-year-old was in the water at Archer Point in Cooktown around 1pm on Saturday when he was dragged down by a four-and-a-half-metre crocodile.
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Paramedic Valerie Noble told 7NEWS the man initially attempted to fend off the animal with his speargun but was unsuccessful.
“He’s managed to stick his fingers in the crocodiles eyes multiple times,” she said.
The man was bitten three times before he managed to free himself and swim to shore.
The fisherman was airlifted to Cairns University Hospital with head, leg and shoulder injuries.
He is in a serious but stable condition.
The incident is the second crocodile attack in less than a week.
On Tuesday 65-year-old Manfred Van Eckeren was sleeping on a beach north of Port Douglas when he was bitten.
“I felt the crocodile basically came down my foot with pretty much the force of a sledgehammer,” he told 7NEWS.
“I opened my eyes (and) I see a big head of this crocodile.”
He managed to break free from the reptile after it went off to attack his sleeping bag instead, but the crocodile remained close by in the shallows and appeared to be watching Van Eckeren.
The 65-year-old took himself to hospital for treatment, and is suffering from puncture wounds and swollen ankles on both feet.
“Yeah, I won’t sleep on any beaches in the future,” he said.
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Source: 7News