Florida woman, 26, is seriously injured by an 8-foot-long alligator that bit her thigh while she was swimming in a lake
- Nichole Tillman, 26, was seriously injured by alligator while swimming in a lake
- She suffered ‘significant bite injuries’ at the Fay Lake Wilderness Park Saturday
- Brevard County fire officials said an 8-foot-long alligator bit Tillman’s thigh
- She was airlifted to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries, cops said
- A short time later, alligator trapper responded to scene and removed the gator
A 26-year-old woman was seriously injured by an alligator while swimming in a Florida lake over the weekend.
The Brevard County Fire Rescue said Nichole Tillman, of Melbourne, Florida, suffered ‘significant bite injuries’ at the Fay Lake Wilderness Park on Saturday.
Brevard County Fire District Chief Thomas Uzel said Tillman ‘was out in the woods, swimming in the lake’ when an 8-foot-long alligator bit her thigh.
Nichole Tillman (pictured on a stretcher), 26, was seriously injured by a gator while swimming at the Fay Lake Wilderness Park in Florida
Photos from the rescue shows first responders lifting her into the back of an ambulance. She was then placed into a helicopter and airlifted to Holmes Regional Medical Center
Witness Dave Nygard told ABC News that about a dozen people were in waist to chest deep water when the victim ‘starts screaming and luckily a couple of guys reacted and grabbed her’.
Nygard said he thought it was all a joke until they pulled her out of the water and saw that her ‘thigh was open’.
As soon as people saw her injury, they ran from the water and tried to help Tillman.
‘So then about 30 seconds later I see a gator head pop up. It was every bit of 8 foot,’ Nygard added.
Her injuries are not life-threatening. No other injuries were reported.
Photos from the rescue shows first responders lifting her into the back of an ambulance.
A short time later, an alligator trapper responded to the scene and removed the reptile (file image) that attacked Tillman from the area
She was then placed into a helicopter and airlifted to Holmes Regional Medical Center.
A short time later, an alligator trapper responded to the scene and removed the reptile that attacked Tillman from the area.
First responders said the attack on Tillman is the first one in the area in about 35 years.
Officials are warning residents to look for alligators in or near any body of water.
Alligators are more active during the spring and summer months.