Diver attacked by alligator at Silver Springs

BREAKING NEWS!

An alligator attacked a diver inside Silver Springs, a nature/theme park located in Ocala, north of Orlando.

Here's the complete news from CF News 13:

A man is in critical condition after he was bit by an alligator in Marion County.

It happened along the Silver River at the Silver Springs nature park.

Investigators said Peter Butt, 55, was in the water snorkeling and taking water samples when the 10-foot gator attacked him and bit him in the neck.

Butt was airlifted to Shands Hospital in Gainesville.

It took several men to capture the gator.

People who visit the park said the gators there normally stay away from people.
"I’ve been back there,” said Renee Campione, who lives nearby. “It's been tranquil. The gators, they come up, but they never come right up to the boat. But they're down there when you look through the glass, but I've never experienced anything like that."

The attack happened in an area of the park that's not opening to the public.

Because the gator attacked a person, it was put down.

From Wesh 2 News:

SILVER SPRINGS, Fla. --

• Images: Silver Springs Park Gator Attack

Authorities said a diver was bitten by an alligator in Marion County.

The incident happened at Silver Springs Park at about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, rescue crews said.

Firefighters said the victim is an employee with the St. Johns River Water Management District who was checking water flow gauges at the time.

Miranda Iglesias with Marion County Fire Rescue told WESH 2 the victim possibly had a broken jaw and was bleeding quite a bit. He was conscious when he was transported, she said.

Marion County Fire Rescue said the patient was flown to Shands Hospital in Gainesville. A nursing supervisor said the victim was upgraded from critical to fair condition Tuesday night.

Rescue crews said the attack happened in an area that is closed off to guests and that the man's partner was present at the time.

And from My Fox Orlando:

Man attacked by alligator near Silver Springs amusement park

OCALA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Emergency responders in Marion County transported a man who received traumatic injuries from an alligator bite.  It happened late Tuesday afternoon near the Silver Springs amusement park just outside of Ocala.  The attack did not happen inside the park but in the Fort King canal, an area which is off limits to the general public and set aside for park storage and research.

The victim, 55-year-old Peter Butt, is a diver with the St. Johns River Water Management District .  He was flown to Shands Hospital in Gainesville . 

Witnesses said the man was diving with another individual and taking water samples when he was bitten in the neck by the alligator. 

"When we found him, he had lacerations to the neck, and possibly a broken jaw," said Miranda Iglesias, spokesperson for Marion County Fire and Rescue.

Butt was able to thrash lose from the alligator's grip and was pulled to safety.  He was conscious when emergency crews arrived, but listed in critical condition.

"If anybody could survive something like this, it's Pete," Eric Hutcheson, one of Butt's colleagues. "Pete's a big, strong man."

Hutcheson said the two divers were researching the pollution levels in the springs as it relates to the Floridan aquifer. Butt was tracing dye through the different channels of the spring, to see which ones were connected. The actual attack occurred at a service boat dock, where there are small springs throughout the area.

"My assumption is that this alligator was hiding under one of the old boats that doesn't move and has been sitting there for years," said Hutcheson, who indicated that the two divers were aware of the presence of the alligator, which was described as over 10 feet long and over 20 years in age. "Very mature, large, fat, fat, very fat alligator."

Trappers are currently searching for the alligator.  Florida Fish and Wildlife is investigating with the assistance of the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

It is a very sad situation, but i think that the diver knew that he was risking his life.

Silver Springs has a lot of gators lurking around every corner in the rivers... I really hope he will get better as soon as possible.