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A man has been airlifted to hospital after being mauled by a crocodile near a Queensland campground.
The 44-year-old man managed to save his life by fighting off the croc, jabbing it in the eyes, after it tried to drown him while he was spearfishing in Cooktown.
"It has bitten him three times and dragged him to the bottom," Valerie Noble of Queensland Ambulance Service said.
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"He's managed to – according to him – stick his fingers in the crocodile's eyes multiple times and escape before swimming towards the shore."
It's understood the man was attacked near the Archer Point Camp Ground shortly before 1pm on Saturday.
Rescue crews were forced to winch the man to safety, in a difficult-to-reach area, before a helicopter took him to Cairns Hospital.
He suffered multiple fractures, as well as severe injuries to his head, abdomen and leg.
"He's an extremely lucky man, not many people would live to tell a story like that," Noble said.
The 44-year-old man remains in a stable condition and is reportedly in good spirits.
The attack prompted Peter Scott, the Cook Shire Mayor, to warn future campers to talk to the rangers before entering the water at the popular spearfishing spot.
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"I would suggest that the rangers up there have a fair knowledge of what's going on, people should check in with them before they camp and start swimming around," he said.
The Department of Environment and Science, Queensland will investigate the attack and confirm if the crocodile is still in the area.
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