MOORE HAVEN, Fla. (AP) — A Florida teenager has lost his right arm below the elbow to an attacking alligator.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Jorge Pino told Fort Myers television station WBBH (http://bit.ly/NljdlO ) the teen's arm was still inside the 11-foot alligator when it was hunted down and killed Monday evening.
The television station reports 17-year-old Kaleb Langdale was rushed to a Fort Myers hospital but the arm couldn't be reattached.
Langdale was swimming in the Caloosahatchee (kal-oos-ah-HAT'-chee) River near Moore Haven when the attack occurred.
Matt Baker says the gator swam straight at Langdale. It bit the teen's arm and pulled him under water.
Another friend, Gary Beck says Langdale popped out of the water, screaming "my arm is gone."
Officials say it's alligator mating season and attacks are not uncommon.
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Information from: WBBH-TV, http://www.nbc-2.com/
