Pastor killed by crocodile while baptizing believers in Ethiopia lake

 Pixabay

The BBC reports that a pastor has been killed by a crocodile while baptizing people in a lake in southern Ethiopia. 

According to the news service, Pastor Docho Eshete was in the middle of conducting a mass baptism in Lake Abaya when tragedy struck. 

"He baptised the first person and he passed on to another one. All of a sudden, a crocodile jumped out of the lake and grabbed the pastor," local resident Ketema Kairo told the BBC.

The pastor suffered bites to his legs, back and hands.  Fishermen managed to use their nets to stop the crocodile from dragging his body into the lake but the pastor died as a result of his injuries.

According to USA Today, policeman Eiwnetu Kanko said: "They only managed to get his dead body.  They were unable to save him."

Lake Abaya is situated in the Arba Minch area around 300 miles south of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

The Daily Telegraph said crocodiles in Lake Abaya had a reputation for being aggressive to human beings as a result of overfishing that has affected their normal food supply.  

Last month, Zimbabwe resident Zanele Ndlovu, 25, nearly died when a crocodile attacked her and ripped off her arm just five days before she was due to walk down the aisle with her British fiancé, Jamie Fox, 27. Despite losing her arm in the attack, the couple went ahead with their wedding as planned.

Reflecting on her terrifying brush with death, Ndlovu told the BBC that it would be an adjustment but she was remaining positive.

"I am more positive now than I've always been. It kind of changed my life, in the sense of I almost died," she said. 

She also said: "Life is unpredictable. You know when they say when you make plans, God laughs? That makes so much more sense to me now."

News
More Brits want better palliative care over assisted suicide - poll
More Brits want better palliative care over assisted suicide - poll

A new poll has found greater support among members of the public for improved palliative care than assisted suicide. 

Archbishop of Canterbury will be attending abortion vote in Lords on Wednesday
Archbishop of Canterbury will be attending abortion vote in Lords on Wednesday

The office of the Archbishop of Canterbury has confirmed she will be joining a key vote on abortion in the House of Lords this Wednesday after there was backlash over the suggestion she might be absent due to a planned pilgrimage.

Disestablishing Church of England 'will not be a priority' at next election, says Green Party
Disestablishing Church of England 'will not be a priority' at next election, says Green Party

The Green Party has responded to claims it wants to disestablish the Church of England by saying that this will "not be a priority" at the next General Election. 

AI still too inaccurate when it comes to Scripture, says YouVersion founder
AI still too inaccurate when it comes to Scripture, says YouVersion founder

YouVersion founder and CEO Bobby Gruenewald says artificial intelligence holds enormous promise. But when it comes to answering questions about God and Scripture, he believes the technology is not yet ready.