Crocodile eats up Costa Rican footballer, Jesus “Chucho” Lopez Ortiz

A Costa Rican football player lost his life after jumping into a river infested with crocodiles.

Jesus “Chucho” Lopez Ortiz, 29, met a horrifying fate as he was devoured by one of these ferocious reptiles, witnessed by horrified onlookers.

The dreadful event unfolded last week near the town of Santa Cruz, located in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica, approximately 140 miles away from the capital city of San Jose.

Ortiz, a member of the amateur football team Deportivo Río Cañas in Carrillo, tragically lost his life during the ill-fated river jump.

Disturbing footage captures the moment as a crocodile is seen swimming through the water, clutching Ortiz’s lifeless body in its jaws.

Santa Cruz Police Sergeant Marcelino Hernandez shared that Ortiz’s leap into the crocodile-infested river was made despite the potential danger.

Local authorities from the Costa Rican Red Cross and law enforcement responded swiftly to the scene. Ortiz’s remains were later recovered after the crocodile responsible for the attack was located and neutralized.

The tragic incident has left Ortiz’s family, friends, and the entire soccer community in mourning. Ortiz, known for his role as a family man, coach, and player, leaves behind two young children, aged 8 and 3.

Deportivo Río Cañas, the football team to which Ortiz belonged, conveyed their condolences and confirmed the devastating loss through a heartfelt statement on their official Facebook page.

VideoViral | Jesús Alberto López Ortiz, futbolista del Deportivo Río Cañas de la Liga Ascenso de Costa Rica conocido futbolísticamente como Chucho, murió tras ser atacado por un cocodrilo en Santa Cruz, en el noroeste de Costa Rica. pic.twitter.com/WVFqCxsJEY

— lavozderiobamba (@lavozderiobamba) August 4, 2023