A tourist has been left seriously injured after being attacked by a crocodile while on a beach holiday.
The terrifying incident occurred on La Lancha beach, located in Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit, Mexico, on October 7.
It's believed a 24-year-old man, who has been identified as Alexander Wayne, from Florida, US, was visiting the area with some friends and upon leaving, was ambushed by the reptile.
Emergency services were called and a protocol for attention to human-crocodile interactions was put in place.
Citizen Protection, as well as local firefighters and the Security and Protection of Nayarit, also responded to the call.
Meanwhile, the victim was taken to Punta Mita hospital for treatment.
Upon arriving, it's reported that he received emergency treatment and despite presenting "avulsive type" injuries to his lower area, he was classed as being out of danger.
According to local reports, the National Guard and State Tourist Police evacuated tourists from the beach to avoid further attacks and suspended water activities immediately.
Three units in the region are carrying out preventive actions, such as installation of signs where crocodiles live, training for management of the species and population studies.
It's believed the incident occurred within the access road to the beach, where there are signs about the presence of crocodiles.
Despite the harrowing attack, the access remains open in a bid to keep tourists visiting the beach, which receives up to 300 people per day.
"It is important to be careful and respectful of other inhabitants of our environment, as well as pay special attention to taking care of our families and pets when we are in natural areas with different types of fauna," the Citizen Protection said.
"We ask the entire community that wishes to visit La Lancha beach to pay attention to the signage present at the entrance and along the path, to exercise caution when entering, walk in groups, carefully observe the path and check that there are no crocodiles nearby before crossing."
