- Keen fishermen, Misha and his teenage sons Oliver, 18, and Isaac, 14, headed up to croc country in the NT for the ultimate fishing adventure.
- They enlisted the help of fishing guide Sean Fiumara to take them out on his boat to where the big barramundi would be biting
- In deeper water, Misha heard a splash and turned round to find Sean missing – an enornous croc had leapt up, snapped its jaws around Sean’s leg, pulled him out of the boat and underwater
- Isaac lunged to the side and before the croc could roll Sean, he grabbed the guide’s arm to pull him in
- Although Sean was bleeding badly, he thanked Isaac for his quick thinking
- Misha Hammond, from Sydney, NSW, shares how his brave boy helped save Sean from a croc’s jaws
As we headed out for another day’s fishing on the Glyde River, I squinted my eyes against the sun.
Perfect day for it, I thought, smiling.
It was October 2024, and I’d taken my sons, Oliver, 18, and Issac, 14, to the Northern Territory for five days over the school holidays, staying at the Dhipirri Barra and Sportfishing Lodge.
We were all mad-keen fishermen from Sydney and had visited the Arnhem Land lodge several times before.
Read more: Relied on crocs for company for two years
Venturing out that morning in our plate boat with our fishing guide, Sean, he reminded us again that we were in croc country.
“So keep ya arms and legs inside the boat at all times,” he warned.
“Got it,” we said in unison.
Pulling up to our first spot on the river, we cast our lines.
Fishing had been good the past four days, but I hoped today, with some luck, we’d land at least one whopper worth boasting about.
“Today’s gonna be great,” I grinned to the boys. “I can feel it.”
I felt sure the big barramundi would be biting that day.
“Give it a rest, Dad,” Isaac said, rolling his eyes at my enthusiasm.
Usually, my gut was on the money, but as Sean took us around the river to cast in different spots, we’d barely caught anything worth bragging about.
At a new location, I knew the deeper water meant the fish’d bite.
Sean stalled the engine and made his way to the side of the boat where Isaac was.
With my back to him, I waited for him to tell us where it’d be best to cast.
Suddenly, I heard a loud splash.
What the hell, I thought.
Spinning around, I clocked Isaac’s face, which was now white as a ghost.
“Dad! A croc’s snatched Sean!” He said, panicking.
An enormous croc had leapt up from nowhere, snapped its jaws around Sean’s leg and pulled him over the side.
Adrenaline pumping, I lunged to Issac’s side.
The sight of Sean underwater, battling to free his leg from the jaws of a whopping 3.5m saltwater croc, was terrifying.
If it’s got a proper grip, he’s a gonner, I worried.
Then, all of a sudden, Sean’s head surfaced.
Incredibly, before the croc could roll him, he’d kicked it with his other leg and broken free.
Quick as a flash, Isaac reached over, grabbed Sean’s arm and was pulling him in.
Without thinking, I gripped his other arm and we dragged Sean into the boat.
Shaking, I knew if it hadn’t been for Isaac’s quick thinking, the croc’s menacing teeth would have latched back onto Sean and pulled him under.
“Way to go, son,” I said, puffing.
Seeing Sean’s panicked face, I looked at his left leg which was badly bleeding. He had five deep puncture wounds around his knee and another wound at the base of his right thumb. I realised Sean had
try to pry the croc’s jaws open with his hands.
I grabbed the First Aid kit on board to rinse Sean’s wounds and bandage him up.
“I reckon I got off pretty lightly,” he grinned. “If it weren’t for your boy, that croc would’ve had me for dinner.”
“Lucky Isaac’s got great reflexes.” Oliver smiled.
“Still can’t believe what’s happen though,” Isaac said. Although Sean was shaken from the ordeal, he insisted he get back behind the wheel to take us home, despite our concerns.
“Don’t worry, mate, I’m fine,” he said.
Before heading off, he glanced towards the back of the boat.
“Croc’s trailing us,” he announced.
Knowing it might have another go, Sean splashed his hands in the water to encourage the croc to come closer.
I worried he’d get snatched again, but instead he whipped his hand out just in time and grabbed a pole to whack the croc.
Watching it swim off, I sighed with relief.
Too bloody close for my liking, I thought.
Back at the lodge 40 minutes later, Sean cracked open a coldie and regaled the manager with a yarn about the ordeal, and how Isaac had leapt to action.
“I owe him my life,” he said.
I was proud of my boy’s quick thinking and courage.
After checking Sean out more thoroughly, the lodge manager took him to Darwin Hospital for surgery to close the wounds.
That night Isaac called his mum, my ex, Carolina, and told her all the dramatic details.
“I’m shocked!” she said to me afterwards. “Thank god you’re all safe!
News about the croc attack quickly spread and the story went viral. Isaac even scored a live interview on The Project.
He was so excited but cool as a cucumber in front of the cameras.
“Even the Year 12 boys are talking about seeing me on telly, Dad,” he beamed afterwards.
Sean’s stayed in touch with us too. He’s recovered and reckons he’ll soon be back on deck.
Now, when people ask whether we’ll go fishing in the Top End again, we assure them we will.
In fact, we’ll be back in April to catch that big Barra I’d been predicting, hopefully without a croc interrupting us this time!
It’s a top spot, and thanks to Isaac, we know we’ll be in safe hands!
Sean Fiumara says…
I got the shock of my life when this croc got me from behind! I was standing on the side of the boat showing Isaac where to cast, when suddenly I felt like I’d been hit by a big lump of wood in the back of the knees.
Once I was in the water, I saw it was a huge croc and started fighting for my life.
If Isaac hadn’t jumped into action and pulled me out with his dad’s help, that croc would have got me for sure. He’s a brave kid, and I can’t thank him enough.
