A two-year-old boy was attacked and dragged into the water by an alligator at Disney World’s five-star Grand Floridian Resort & Spa on Tuesday night.
The toddler, who is still missing, was with his family at the resort in Orlando, Florida when the animal attacked.
His father watched in horror as the reptile clenched its jaws around his son.
He ran into the shallow water and tried to wrestle the youngster from the predator but was unsuccessful. His mother is also believed to have tried to save the boy.
Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings told the Orlando Sentinel that rescue personnel had searched for the child in the Seven Seas Lagoon for hours but had not found him.
The 50-person rescue team includes a dive team with sonar equipment on standby.
“As a father, as a grandfather, we’re going to hope for the best in these circumstances, but based on my 35 years of law enforcement experience, we know we have some challenges ahead of us,” Demings said.
Speaking to the Guardian, Demings added that there are ‘no swimming’ warning signs nearby.
The size of the alligator is unclear but it is estimated to be between 4ft and 7ft.
Several guests witnessed the attack as they watched a movie near the beach at the resort.
Deming said “we’re not leaving until we recover the child” from the 200-acre lagoon.
A Disney World official told New York Daily News: “Everyone here at the Walt Disney World resort is devastated by this tragic accident.”
AOL