Horror as woman dies in front of terrified boyfriend after alligator bites off arm

A woman has been killed by an alligator while swimming in a Florida river as her boyfriend fought in vain to pull her free. Brittany Clark, 31, from Orlando died after the animal struck in the Econlockhatchee River within the Little Big Econ State Forest around 25 miles north-east of the city.

Clark had been hiking with her boyfriend Chance and her best friend when the group decided to stop for a swim. They were in approximately three feet of water when the alligator grabbed Clark by the arm and began what authorities later confirmed was a death roll, a violent spinning manoeuvre used by alligators to subdue prey. Chance immediately grabbed the alligator in a desperate attempt to force it to release his girlfriend, but the animal pulled them both underwater.

The alligator released Clark's arm momentarily before seizing hold of her other arm. Chance attempted to bring them both to shore but the alligator eventually let go. Clark was brought to shore and her boyfriend began CPR whilst emergency services were called. However, she died from her injuries on the way to hospital.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Chad Weber told journalists that the pair had not been engaging in dangerous behaviour. "It doesn't seem they were doing anything malicious. She was bitten on both of her arms. The boyfriend was the one that made the phone call. He was trying to get her from the alligator's mouth and on the way to the hospital she did pass away from her injuries," Weber said.

Authorities removed and euthanised two alligators measuring 12 feet and 13 feet from the river for DNA testing. The FWC records an average of approximately eight unprovoked alligator attacks annually, with just 26 fatal incidents recorded in Florida since 1948. The state is home to an estimated 1.3 million alligators.