Fisherman killed in attack by nearly 12-foot alligator in Florida

A 71-year-old man has been killed in an attack by an alligator nearly 12 feet long in the US state of Florida. Police said this is the second fatal alligator attack in the state this year.

The deceased's name is Steven Hamilton. He was fishing on the shore of Lake Apopka in Winter Garden, near Orlando, when he was attacked at around 5 pm, the Winter Garden Police Department said.

Emergency workers tried to rescue Hamilton, but it was not possible because there were more alligators in the water, Winter Garden Fire Chief Jose Gainza said.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it expresses its deepest condolences to the victim's family and loved ones during this difficult time.

The attacking alligator was trapped and put down, Winter Garden Police Chief Michael Mason said.

Mason said there are many alligators in this lake, and that authorities were not aware that an alligator had been near the shore before the attack.

He warned that one must always be aware of one's surroundings and always stay safe. Wildlife must be respected and distance maintained. He said an alligator may seem calm, and it may seem like a symbol of Florida, but it can be dangerous.

The American alligator is found all across Florida, although attacks on people are rare.

Earlier, in June, a 31-year-old woman named Brittany Clark was killed in an alligator attack near her home in Oviedo. That was noted as the first fatal incident of this year.

Last May, 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema was killed after an alligator capsized her boat.

Including Hamilton, according to state data, 34 people have been killed in alligator attacks from 1948 to the present.

After this incident, the call to maintain distance and stay alert while fishing or moving around the shores of alligator-infested water bodies like Lake Apopka has come to the fore again. The police chief's warning stressed that respecting wildlife from a distance is the main condition of safety.