PICTURED: Rogue German tour guide who led British twin sisters into a crocodile-infested lagoon
PICTURED: The rogue German backpacker tour guide who led British twin sisters into a crocodile-infested lagoon where they were attacked by a 10ft-long beast leaving one fighting for life in hospital
- The tour guide, known as Richie, organised the tour to the Manialtepec Lagoon
- The backpacker arranges unlicensed tours to fund his travelling in Mexico
- Melissa Laurie was dragged down by a 10ft crocodile and is fighting for her life
- Her twin sister Georgia fought off the predator by punching its head
This is the rogue tour guide who led British twin sisters Melissa and Georgia Laurie into the jaws of a ten-foot crocodile, leaving one fighting for her life in hospital.
The German backpacker, known locally as ‘Richie’, organised the swimming tour to the Manialtepec Lagoon, 10 miles from Puerto Escondido, where the predator pulled Melissa under water and put her into a terrifying death to drown her.
The 28-year-old zookeeper only survived because her twin Georgia fought off the ten-foot beast by punching it repeatedly in the head as she brought her sister to safety.
This is the rogue tour guide who led British twin sisters Melissa and Georgia Laurie into the jaws of a ten-foot crocodile, leaving one fighting for her life in hospital
Melissa and Georgia Laurie, both 28, from Berkshire, were swimming during the day in a lagoon in Mexico – around 10 miles from Puerto Escondido
The sisters from Berkshire were among a group of 25 foreign tourists taken by the unlicensed and inexperienced guide to a part of the lagoon where crocodiles breed and raise their young on Sunday evening.
Richie, who is a backpacker organising unlicensed tours to fund his travelling, agreed to take the twins after meeting them at a hostel in Puerto Escondido, a popular surfing resort.
However due to his ignorance of the lagoon, he took the women into a crocodile nesting area where the reptiles are fiercely protective of their eggs.
He took the sisters on a bioluminescent tour where tourists marvel at the glowing blue plankton-rich waters at twilight are held on the other side of the ten-mile long lagoon.
The German backpacker, known locally as ‘Richie’, organised the swimming tour to the Manialtepec Lagoon
Melissa (left) was attacked by a crocodile which dragged her beneath the water before Georgia (right) repeatedly punched the beast in a bid to save her sister
Melissa was half-drowned and suffered horrific injuries to her arms, legs, face, some of which have become septic. Doctors put her in a medically induced coma to help her recover.
Georgia also suffered extensive bite wounds to her arms and hands. One crocodile bite went through the palm of her hand.
Rogue guide Richie visited the sisters in hospital on Sunday and fled after he saw the extent of their injuries.
The German declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline today [Thursday].
Local wildlife experts believe the sisters may have been attacked by a female crocodile protecting her eggs.
Civil Protection officer Guillermo Silva told Mexico’s ecosdelpacifico.com environmental news website: ‘We were alerted to a report of a crocodile attack on some people.
‘We went to the place where it took place to verify the facts.
‘We found the area where people entered the lagoon and swam upstream for about 200 metres.
‘We could see footprints in the grass where the attack took place.’
‘This is not a tourist area, it is an area that where female crocodiles nest this time of year.
‘It is the rainy season and it makes it easier for crocodiles to nest.
‘It is possible that the attack took place because a nesting crocodile was defending her eggs.’
His colleague, José Antonio Ramírez, added: ‘We know that there a lot crocodiles in this particular area of the lagoon.’
Licensed tour operator Arturo Venegas confirmed that the area where the sisters went swimming was a well-known crocodile habitat.
He said: ‘We know that this part of the lagoon is frequented by many of these animals.
‘We hear that the sisters went into the water through the weeds and it was there that one of the girls was attacked by the crocodile.’
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