Update as missing businessman found dead inside huge crocodile - police airlifted the animal from a river

There's been an update as a missing businessman was found dead inside a giant crocodile.

Gabriel Batista, 59, disappeared last week while trying to drive across the Komati River in the northeast of South Africa.

His car became stuck on a low bridge, and by the time police arrived, it was empty, Mpumalanga provincial police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo told SABC.

After days of searching, authorities located a 4.5 metre, 500kg Nile crocodile with a visibly swollen stomach, leading to a dramatic operation that ended with the reptile being shot from a helicopter and airlifted out of the river.

Human Remains And Personal Items Found Inside

The search effort lasted four days, with drones and helicopters scanning the river before spotting the crocodile resting on a small island.

According to The Telegraph, a post-mortem examination of the animal revealed body parts inside, including two severed arms, part of a rib cage, and pieces of flesh. Investigators also discovered a ring believed to belong to Batista.

Capt Johan "Pottie" Potgieter, who led the police dive unit, said: "I don’t want to go into too much detail but there was enough inside the stomach to lead us to believe the crocodile ate the missing man. But we will have to wait until the DNA results come back to confirm it."

DNA testing is now expected to confirm whether the remains are Batista’s.

"Besides having a massively full tummy, he didn’t move around or try to slip into the river despite the noise of the drones and the chopper," Potgieter added.

Questions Remain Over Final Moments

It is still unclear whether the missing man had already drowned before being attacked or if he was alive when the crocodile struck.

Batista owned the Border Country Inn and sports bar nearby, and was described by those who knew him as a well-liked family man.

"Gabriel was a lovely guy and a family man... he spent a lot of time up here and customers loved him," a spokesman said.

"He lived in Johannesburg but owned this guest house and bar and spent a lot of time here and was on his way to work on Monday when he was just swept away."

"The family do not want to say anything until the DNA results have been done. It is just terrible and his wife has been here every day with the police diving team," they continued. "It is a nightmare but at the moment there is no family comment."

Crocodile May Have Eaten More Than One Victim

Alongside the human remains, investigators also found six different types of shoes inside the crocodile’s stomach, per a report.

Potgieter said this could suggest the animal had attacked others, but warned against jumping to conclusions. "A crocodile will eat or swallow anything," he explained.

Featured image credit: Saurav Pandey Photography / Getty