The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is calling an alligator attack on a 61-year-old woman who was canoeing “devastating” and claiming the circumstances are “extremely rare.” ABC News reports that Cynthia Diekema and her husband were near Lake Kissimmee in Florida when Diekema’s canoe passed over a large alligator. When the alligator thrashed, it tipped over the canoe, throwing both husband and wife into the water with the animal.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Diekema landed on or near the gator, which bit her and ultimately caused her death. Her husband had reportedly tried to step in and save his wife’s life but was unable to do so.
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Alligator fatalities are rare. In a 2022 document, FWC reported only eight unprovoked bites per year over the previous 10 years. FWC further estimated the chance of being seriously injured by an unprovoked alligator bite as roughly “one in 3.1 million.” It’s unclear whether canoeing over the top of an alligator counts as “provoked” or “unprovoked.”
Learn more about the tragic alligator attack that claimed a woman’s life while she was canoeing in Florida here:
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