British Financial Times reporter dies in Sri Lanka crocodile attack

A British man has died in Sri Lanka after being attacked by a crocodile, his employer has confirmed.

Paul McClean, 24, thought to be from Surrey, was dragged into a river near Arugam Bay, witnesses have said.

Fawas Lafeer, owner of the nearby Safa Surf School, told BBC Radio 5 live the man was washing his hands in the river when he was attacked.

He said: "Fishermen saw him attacked by the crocodile and then screaming to the surfers to come and help."

Mr McClean was an Oxford University graduate who was working as a journalist for the Financial Times (FT).

The FT said he was a "talented, energetic and dedicated" journalist with an eye for hidden stories.

The paper added that Mr McClean's body was identified by friends he was holidaying with in Sri Lanka, and the final cause of death has yet to be established.

James Lamont, the FT's managing editor, said: "We are liaising closely with his family and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and offering the FT's assistance.

"Our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones. We are in touch with them, doing all we can to help during this difficult time."

A colleague of Mr McClean's told the Daily Telegraph: "We're all totally stunned. He was a great kid, an Everton fan, super bright. It's an absolute tragedy."

Arugam Bay is a popular surf spot in south eastern Sri Lanka - six kilometres away from Mr Lafeer's surf school at Elephant Rock.

Mr Lafeer said surfers at his school had just finished a lesson when they were called by fishermen on the river to help.

"By the time they went to the spot where the croc attacked, they couldn't save him because already the crocodile had pulled him inside the water so they couldn't see what was going on," he said.

He said the Sri Lankan Navy retrieved a body from the river at around 20:45 local time.

(BBC)