Horrifying footage has captured the moment a six-meter python dragged a tour guide underwater, just moments before coiling around his neck.
Experienced snake catcher, Heru, was traveling down a river on the island of Borneo in Indonesia, when his group noticed the large reptile resting close to the riverbank.
Footage shows Heru perched on the side of the boat before he reached into the dark water, grabbing the python near its head.
In a nightmare turn of events, the snake dragged Heru off the boat and into the water, where he disappeared under the surface.
After surfacing, he frantically flailed in the water while the python quickly started to wrap its body around his torso, before moving up to his arms and neck.
The remaining crew immediately jumped into action and attempted to wrestle the python from Heru’s neck as he became more restrained.
It took two men, one holding the python’s head and another its tail, to finally free the guide – who was miraculously left uninjured.
The snake was eventually captured and hauled onto the boat, where crew took photos with it before releasing it back into the wild.
Mohamad Alisa, who filmed the terrifying ordeal, said the python was the “biggest and strongest” the group had ever seen.
“It was released after. Our principle is not to harm living creatures,” he said.
“Photography is purely for scientific purposes.”
The incident comes just months after an Indonesian grandfather was found dead inside an 8.5 metre python.
La Noti, 61, was reportedly tending to livestock when he was attacked by the snake in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia.
The farmer was crushed and devoured by the reptile, and was later found by villagers who noticed the snake’s bloated stomach.
Pythons are non-venomous constrictors known for ambushing their prey and wrapping around it to suffocate it.
They are native to a variety of habitats such as swamps, forests and riverbanks, but often wander into residential areas in search of food.
Borneo, Indonesia, is home to several python species including the Borneo short-tailed python and the Reticulated python.
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