Florida alligator attack: Woman killed on Lake Kissimmee

Florida woman thrown from canoe by thrashing gator, falls into water where she was attacked and killed

SHE’LL HAVE A LIVE UPDATE AT FIVE. WE HAVE NEW DETAILS THIS AFTERNOON ON A HORRIFIC ALLIGATOR ATTACK. INVESTIGATORS SAY THE GATOR KILLED A 61 YEAR OLD WOMAN AS SHE AND HER HUSBAND WERE CANOEING YESTERDAY. THE ATTACK HAPPENED AS THE COUPLE WAS TRAVELING ALONG TIGER CREEK NEAR THE MOUTH OF LAKE KISSIMMEE. WESH 2’S LUANA MUNOZ HAS THE LATEST ON THE INVESTIGATION. THIS WAS JUST A TRAGIC INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON TUESDAY. THIS IS LAKE KISSIMMEE, WHERE FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE SAY THAT CYNTHIA WAS ATTACKED AND KILLED BY AN ALLIGATOR. YOU CAN SEE SIGNS LIKE THIS POSTED AS YOU’RE HEADING INTO THE LAKE THAT LET PEOPLE KNOW THESE ARE GATOR INFESTED WATERS. FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION OFFICERS COULD BE SEEN PATROLLING LAKE KISSIMMEE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. ON TUESDAY, AROUND 4 P.M., FWC SAYS 61 YEAR-OLD CYNTHIA DYKEMA AND HER HUSBAND WERE CANOEING ON THE LAKE AT TIGER CREEK. THEY SAY THEIR 14 FOOT CANOE WAS TRAVELING IN JUST 2.5FT OF WATER WHEN THE COUPLE PASSED OVER A LARGE ALLIGATOR, CAUSING THE GATOR TO THRASH, ULTIMATELY TIPPING THE CANOE OVER AND SENDING THE COUPLE IN THE WATER. SHE ENDED UP ON TOP OF THE ALLIGATOR IN THE WATER AND WAS BITTEN. HER HUSBAND ATTEMPTED TO INTERVENE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. FWC SAYS THE COUPLE LIVED IN DAVENPORT. DYKEMA WAS SPOTTED TUESDAY BY A POLK COUNTY SHERIFF’S HELICOPTER AND LATER RECOVERED BY FWC OFFICERS. FWC SAYS IT IS THE SECOND ATTACK AT LAKE KISSIMMEE SINCE MARCH, WHILE ALLIGATOR ATTACKS RESULTING IN FATALITIES ARE EXTREMELY RARE, THIS TRAGEDY SERVES AS A SOMBER REMINDER OF THE POWERFUL WILDLIFE THAT SHARE OUR NATURAL SPACES. WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO PUBLIC SAFETY WHILE ALSO BALANCING OUR WILDLIFE RESOURCES. CAMPERS WE TALKED WITH SAY THE INCIDENT WAS TRAGIC AND THEY’RE WELL AWARE OF THE DANGERS GATORS POSE, ESPECIALLY NOW DURING MATING SEASON. I’VE BEEN LIVING HERE 40 SOME ODD YEARS AND EVERYBODY KNOWS YOU DON’T GET IN. NO POND, NO LAKE, NO NOTHING. I LOOK TWICE STEPPING IN THE BATHTUB, SO, I MEAN, MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE FAMILY. TRAGIC ACCIDENT. FWC SAYS ALLIGATOR TRAPPERS CAPTURED AN 11 FOOT, FOUR INCH GATOR AND ANOTHER GATOR BETWEEN 10 AND 11FT FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT COVERING POLK COUNTY AT LAKE KISSIMMEE, LUANA MUNOZ WESH TWO NEWS FWC SAYS THEY’RE STILL INVESTIGATING. IF YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT ALLIGATORS IN YOUR ARE

Florida woman thrown from canoe by thrashing gator, falls into water where she was attacked and killed

A 61-year-old woman died after being attacked by an alligator on a lake Tuesday while with her husband, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. In a news conference Wednesday, FWC said it has launched a full investigation to understand what happened on Lake Kissimmee, adding that fatal gator attacks are rare. Officials said the husband and wife were in a 14-foot canoe in around 2 feet of water when they passed over an alligator. The gator thrashed, throwing the woman from the boat, FWC said. The woman landed on top of the gator in the water and was bitten. Her husband tried to help but was unsuccessful, officials said. The two may have drifted over the gator, scaring it. The woman was identified as Cynthia Dikema of Davenport, Florida. The Polk County Sheriff's Office helicopter, PCSO deputies and marine units were called out to assist FWC at the scene.FWC responded to the attack at approximately 4:02 p.m. near the mouth of Tiger Creek into Lake Kissimmee. Polk County Fire Rescue said it also responded to the scene. FWC said a nuisance alligator trapper was dispatched to the scene.Two large alligators were captured and removed from the area. FWC said this is the second alligator attack in Kissimmee since March. "While alligator attacks resulting in fatalities are extremely rare, this tragedy serves as a somber reminder of the powerful wildlife that share our natural spaces." Roger Young with FWC said. "We remain committed to public safety while also balancing our wildlife resources." Sister station WESH 2 spoke to campers in the area who said the incident was tragic and they're well aware of the dangers alligators pose, especially during mating season. "I've been living here 40-something years, and everyone knows you don't get in no pond, no lake, no nothing. I look twice before stepping in the bathtub," Kissimmee camper, Taylor Stokes said. "My heart goes out to the family. Tragic accident."

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. —

A 61-year-old woman died after being attacked by an alligator on a lake Tuesday while with her husband, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

In a news conference Wednesday, FWC said it has launched a full investigation to understand what happened on Lake Kissimmee, adding that fatal gator attacks are rare.

Officials said the husband and wife were in a 14-foot canoe in around 2 feet of water when they passed over an alligator.

The gator thrashed, throwing the woman from the boat, FWC said. The woman landed on top of the gator in the water and was bitten.

Her husband tried to help but was unsuccessful, officials said. The two may have drifted over the gator, scaring it.

The woman was identified as Cynthia Dikema of Davenport, Florida.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office helicopter, PCSO deputies and marine units were called out to assist FWC at the scene.

FWC responded to the attack at approximately 4:02 p.m. near the mouth of Tiger Creek into Lake Kissimmee.

Polk County Fire Rescue said it also responded to the scene. FWC said a nuisance alligator trapper was dispatched to the scene.

Two large alligators were captured and removed from the area.

FWC said this is the second alligator attack in Kissimmee since March.

"While alligator attacks resulting in fatalities are extremely rare, this tragedy serves as a somber reminder of the powerful wildlife that share our natural spaces." Roger Young with FWC said. "We remain committed to public safety while also balancing our wildlife resources."

Sister station WESH 2 spoke to campers in the area who said the incident was tragic and they're well aware of the dangers alligators pose, especially during mating season.

"I've been living here 40-something years, and everyone knows you don't get in no pond, no lake, no nothing. I look twice before stepping in the bathtub," Kissimmee camper, Taylor Stokes said. "My heart goes out to the family. Tragic accident."

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Florida woman thrown from canoe by thrashing gator, falls into water where she was attacked and killed

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