An anticipated vacation to Mexico became a nightmare when a Bay Area teenager was dragged into the ocean by a 12-foot crocodile.
Kiana Hummel of Novato, 18, is now recovering in the hospital after she was attacked by the reptile while she was swimming at the Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa around midnight.
“I felt heaviness on my leg, I looked down, and I feel myself getting pulled,” she shared to ABC7 News. “I was just hitting him wherever I could.”
Hummel’s skin was ripped by the crocodile’s teeth before it let her go. The reptile then grabbed her through the other ankle.
A group of tourists came to the rescue after they heard her yell. They helped her escape from the crocodile.
Hummel is now being treated at Marin General Hospital and is set to receive her second surgery. She is expected by the doctors to recover completely.
Hummel, who was on a vacation before entering college, along with a bystander, shared to ABC7 that the Marriott resort has not released any warnings regarding the dangers at the ocean. In 2018, a crocodile attack incident involving a tourist was also reported.
A one-star Trip Adviser review written by guest Natalie A provided the report about Hummel’s injuries, SFGate reported.
“I would’ve highly recommended this hotel.. however and this is a HUGE however, the only deterring factor for my not recommending to others is the fact that my group of friends RESCUED a young girl from a 12 ft+ CROCODILE,” the guest posted. “I know you have ‘signs’ but you need MORE. There needs to be a rope or a gate to close off the beach at night, it is not safe at all,” the review added. “These girls weren’t warned because the sign at the main entrance that has the ‘warning’ is 20 feet of to the side. Had my group not been sitting on the patio near the beach that poor girl would’ve DIED … do something about it before you kill one of your guests.”
