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An Australian man has told how he escaped being eaten by a saltwater crocodile at an exclusive island resort in Queensland state.
51-year-old Marcus McGowan told reporters how he survived the surprise attack around 17 miles (28km) off off Haggerstone Island near Cape York.
The man was swimming in the sea with a group of other holidaymakers when the reptile snuck up from behind and clamped its maw around his head.
"I thought it was a shark but when I reached up, I realised it was a crocodile," McGowan said. "I was able to lever its jaws open just far enough to get my head out."
The crocodile came back for a second helping, but the swimmer was able to push it away — suffering a bite to his hand in the process.
McGowan was flown to the nearest hospital for emergency treatment and then to Cairns, the nearest major city some 600km (370 miles) to the south for recovery.
The hungry 'saltie' was thought to be a mere juvenile of the giant predator species that can grow up to 6 metres (20 feet) in length and weigh 1.5 tonnes (3,300 lbs).
"Crocodiles in the open ocean can be difficult to locate as the animals often travel tens of kilometres per day," explained the Queensland environmental department, adding that it would investigate the incident.
McGowan was staying at the Haggerstone Island Resort off the northern tip of Queensland, which calls itself a "family-owned, exclusive luxury resort". Wealthy tourists can rent the entire island for a cool $AU7,600 (£4,100 or $US5,000) per night.
The incident was at least the third saltwater crocodile attack in the state so far this year. In February a 4.2m-long croc attacked a man and ate his dog on a boat ramp north of Cairns. The animal was later shot by park rangers.
Then in early May the remains of 65-year-old fisherman Kevin Darmody were found in the stomach of a 4.1-mtre crocodile in the Kennedy River, also near Cairns.