A 61-year-old woman lost her life after an alligator attacked her while she was canoeing with her husband on Lake Kissimmee, Florida, on Tuesday, May 6, officials reported.
Cynthia Diekema from Davenport, Florida, and her husband were navigating a 14-foot canoe in roughly 2.5 feet of water near Tiger Creek’s mouth into Lake Kissimmee when their canoe passed over a large alligator, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
The incident took place around 4:05 p.m. The alligator, startled by the canoe, reacted violently, causing the vessel to overturn. Both Diekema and her husband were thrown into the water, with Diekema landing directly on top of the alligator.
The alligator immediately attacked Diekema. Despite her husband’s attempts to save her, he was unable to free her from the alligator. A sheriff’s office radio transmission obtained by CBS affiliate WKMG captured the urgent moments following the incident.
“Gator grabbed her out of the canoe,” a sheriff’s deputy stated in the transmission. “He tried to fight the gator off. We’re at the last place he saw her. He left the paddle here where he last saw her at.”
Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies and marine units arrived at the scene to aid in the search for Diekema. Her body was located by a sheriff’s office helicopter and was recovered by FWC officers on a boat.
FWC Major Evan Laskowski informed reporters that nuisance alligator trappers were sent to the area Tuesday night. They successfully captured two large alligators, including an 11-foot, 4-inch one matching the description of the alligator involved in the attack. Another alligator, approximately 10 to 11 feet long, was also captured Wednesday morning.
FWC Officer Bradley Johnson noted that investigators do not view this as a predatory attack. Johnson said officials believe it was “a defensive incident where they came upon the alligator beneath the water’s edge and when the canoe struck it, it caused a reaction,” according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Roger Young, executive director of the FWC, expressed condolences to Diekema’s family and friends. He stated that while fatal alligator attacks are rare, this incident underscores the presence of powerful wildlife in Florida’s natural areas.
Lake Kissimmee, covering about 35,000 acres in Polk and Osceola counties, Florida, is known for its high concentration of alligators. The FWC estimates there are around 1.3 million alligators throughout Florida’s 67 counties.
This was the second alligator incident in the area in recent months. In March, a woman was bitten on the arm by an alligator while kayaking with a group, although that attack was not fatal.
Since 1948, there have been 487 unprovoked alligator bites on humans in Florida, with 339 classified as major bites and 27 resulting in fatalities.
A recent study by experts at the University of Florida found that over 90% of recorded alligator incidents involved human inattention or risk-taking prior to the attack.
The incident occurred during alligator mating season, which typically runs from April through June. The FWC noted that while alligators aren’t necessarily more aggressive during this period, they are more active, potentially increasing human-alligator encounters.
Young mentioned that the FWC assesses the alligator population annually and has recently increased the allotment for the statewide alligator hunt by 1,000 tags. Combined with their Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program, the FWC has removed up to 15,000 alligators from the wild over the past year.
The FWC advises people to remain aware of potential alligator presence when in or near fresh or brackish waters. They recommend swimming only in designated areas during daylight, supervising children near water, and never feeding or enticing alligators.
If someone encounters an alligator they believe poses a threat to people, pets, or property, the FWC encourages them to call their Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 1-866-FWC-GATOR (392-4286). The program dispatches contracted nuisance alligator trappers to remove alligators four feet in length or greater that are believed to pose a threat.
Neighbors in Diekema’s Citrus Ridge 55-plus community expressed shock and sadness over the incident. “Such a sweet lady. Makes you realize none of us are promised tomorrow,” said neighbor Lynda Miller, describing Diekema as a kind and friendly presence in the community.