Costa Rican soccer player Jesus “Chucho” Lopez Ortiz was reportedly eaten by a crocodile Saturday.
Footage reportedly shows Ortiz, 29, being dragged around the crocodile infested waters of the Cañas River, near the town of Santa Cruz, according to The Tico Times, a publication based in Costa Rica. Ortiz reportedly jumped from a bridge over the river where he was attacked and eaten by the crocodiles that call the river home.
Fishermen avoid the area because it is known for its crocodile population. It’s also a popular tourist spot because of the prevalence of crocs.
Según este video se supone que el jugador del Deportivo Río Cañas, Jesús Alberto ‘Chucho’ López Ortiz, murió al ser atacado por un cocodrilo cerca de un río en Guanacaste.🧐
-Y la sangre?
-Por qué disparan al animal tras el ataque?pic.twitter.com/RGfTzHJlNO— gUalTrApA ⚖️🇪🇸 (@gualtrapa) August 3, 2023
It is unclear whether Ortiz was reportedly killed by the crocodile or if he drowned in the river. Officials are confident that the reported incident would not have happened had Ortiz chosen to remain on the bridge and not jumped into the river. (RELATED: Alligator Drags Man Into Pond, Kills Him)
Ortiz played for the Deportivo Río Cañas amateur soccer club in Carrillo, who also confirmed his death via a Facebook post. He leaves behind two children, ages 8 and 3, the New York Post reported.
Authorities were forced to kill the animal in order to gather Ortiz’s remains, despite crocodiles being a protected species in Costa Rica.