A 12ft-long crocodile was captured at a bustling tourist beach in front of stunned sunbathers.
Brave lifeguards managed to tape its jaws shut before pulling the lengthy reptile out of the water and onto their boat.
Back on the beach, stunned sunseekers could be seen watching from a safe distance as the croc was brought ashore.
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Three burly men had to sit on top of it to stop it from wriggling free and charging at tourists.
The reptile was found to be a whopping 3.7 m (12’ 2”) long when measured in Puerto Vallarta west of Mexico City, Mexico, as reported by Need To Know.
A spokesperson for the local Civil Protection and Fire Department said: “Lifeguard Unit members successfully captured a 3.7-metre crocodile in the southern part of Puerto Vallarta, thanks to the coordination and joint efforts of our response teams.
“The operation was carried out using vessel B43 and jet ski ZF128.
“Six lifeguards trained in this type of intervention took part.
“The animal was handed over to personnel from the Green Patrol and Environmental Sustainability department.
“The crocodile was later relocated to a safe area, away from the tourist zone.
“These actions aim to ensure the safety of both residents and visitors, and to keep our beaches safe for water-based recreation.”
Local Olga said: “Well, good, because people have already started killing them.”
Alex, on the other hand, said: “The baby crocodiles are about to come out — this is their habitat, leave them alone.”
Puerto Vallarta welcomed approximately 6.8m passengers through its international airport in 2024.
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