Woman killed by alligator while swimming in Florida river: Officials

ByEmily Shapiro ABCNews logo
Monday, June 29, 2026 6:01PM
Alligator bites, kills woman swimming in FL river

A 31-year-old woman was killed by an alligator while swimming in a river in Florida, officials said.

The victim, her boyfriend and her best friend were hiking on Sunday when they stopped to swim in the Econlockhatchee River in Seminole County, just north of Orlando, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

They were in about 3 feet of water when an alligator bit the victim on both arms, FWC spokesperson Chad Weber said.

"The boyfriend was the one that made the [911] phone call. He was trying to get her from the alligator's mouth," Weber said at a news conference Monday.

The woman died on the way to the hospital, Weber said.

Two alligators in the area -- one 12 feet long and the other 13 feet long -- have been captured, according to officials. The FWC noted that 13 feet is considered a very large alligator.

Maj. Jay Russell with the FWC called the incident "incredibly tragic."

This attack comes two days after a 28-year-old man was killed by a crocodile on a popular beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

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