'Otters, This Cruel? ...' US Water Recreationist Attacked, Bloodied Critical Injury

Person Playing with Tube by Riverside Attacked
"Desperately Fled Thinking of Family"

Women playing on tubes along a river in the United States were seriously injured after being attacked by otters.

According to foreign media including CNN and the New York Post on the 12th (local time), the incident occurred on the 2nd in the middle of Jefferson, Montana, USA. One of the victims attacked by the otters, Jen Royce, was playing on tubes in the river with her two closest friends in the evening to celebrate her birthday.

CNN reported that the park where the accident occurred has since installed warning signs at fishing points and other locations to alert visitors that otters are active in the area.
[Photo by Pixabay]

While Royce was enjoying the water play, she felt something biting her body underwater beneath the tube. It then tried to pull Royce and her friends underwater by biting and scratching them.

They realized that the attackers were otters and struggled to drive them away, but the otters did not stop attacking. Eventually, the three friends desperately escaped the otters' attack and reached the riverbank, at which point the otters swam away. They could not confirm whether there was one otter or more than one attacking them.

Fortunately, there was a phone at the riverbank, and they immediately called 911 for help. However, since they were at a location difficult to pinpoint, it took 53 minutes for the rescue helicopter to arrive, Royce said.

Sustained severe injuries to face and limbs due to the accident

Afterwards, Royce shared on her Facebook the situation at the time of the accident and her current condition, with her face and limbs covered in blood from the otter attack.
[Photo by Jen Royce Facebook]

After the accident, Royce underwent surgery and posted on her Facebook about the situation during the attack and showed her face and limbs covered in wounds from the otters' attack.

As a result of the incident, Royce lost part of one ear's auricle and sustained severe wounds on her face and limbs. Another friend suffered injuries all over their body, including a shattered thumb, as well as wounds on their hands and buttocks.

Royce, who thought she might lose her life both during the attack and after fleeing to the riverbank, said, "What gave me strength while fighting the otters was thinking about my children," adding, "I couldn't bear the thought of my children growing up without their mother."

Royce, who was the most seriously injured among the group, was transported to the hospital by rescue teams and underwent a five-hour surgery. The other two received treatment on-site. All three later received multiple rabies vaccinations.

She did not forget to express her gratitude to her husband and children who rushed to the hospital upon hearing the news, as well as to the rescue teams, security authorities, and hospital staff.

The park where the incident occurred later installed warning signs at fishing points and other areas to alert visitors that otters are active in the area, CNN reported.

A park official explained, "Otter attacks are rare, but they can attack when close to people to protect themselves and their young," adding, "They give birth in April, and you can see them in the water with their young during the summer."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.