Brit zookeeper, 28, fights for life in Mexico after crocodile attack
EXCLUSIVE: British woman, 28, fights for life after her twin sister rescues her from jaws of crocodile during their dream swim trip to Mexican lagoon
- Melissa and Georgie Laurie, 28, were swimming in a lagoon when the croc struck
- Melissa was dragged beneath the water and her sister dived into search for her
- After finding her sister the pair were attacked again as they swam for the shore
- Their parents claim the tour company had assured them water was safe to enter
A British woman is fighting for her life in hospital in Mexico after being rescued from the jaws of a crocodile by her identical twin sister.
Melissa Laurie, 28, was swimming in a lagoon at night with her twin Georgia 10 miles from Puerto Escondido, a surfing resort popular with British holidaymakers, when the beast struck and dragged her beneath the water.
In the chaos, Georgia called out for her sister and dived under water to search for her when she didn’t reply.
Grappling desperately in the gloom, she found Melissa floating face-down on the surface after several minutes of frantic searching.
Melissa Laurie (left) had been swimming in a loagoon at night when she was attacked by a crocodile, prompting sister Georgia to wade in after her
The crocodile attacked both sisters as they waded for shore, with Georgia forced to punch it several times to escape (stock image)
But as she cradled her sister in her arms and swam to the boat, the crocodile attacked the women again as Georgia fought it off, punching the predator until it let go.
The sisters’ mother Sue Laurie, from Sandhurst, in Berkshire, said both women had terrible bite injuries while Melissa came close to drowning.
Speaking to MailOnline Sue said both sisters were rushed to hospital where Melissa remains in a coma.
Her mother Sue Laurie told MailOnline: ‘We have twin daughters who are travelling around Mexico were attacked by a crocodile last night.
‘Melissa is alive, but we don’t know if her injuries are life-threatening or not.
‘She has water on her lungs and she has been coughing up blood. So we don’t know if she has a punctured lung or not.
‘She has been put into a medically induced coma.’
Her father Sean told how Melissa, a zookeeper, was saved from certain death by her sister.
Twins Melissa and Georgia Laurie, now both 28, when they were babies dressed in identical clothing
Melissa and Georgia Laurie, pictured as schoolchildren, had been on a dream trip to Mexico when tragedy struck
He said: ‘Georgia fought off the crocodile.
‘It was only because she is a diver and has life-saving experience that she was able to save her.
‘They were swimming after dark in the bioluminescent waters when Georgia heard Melissa cry out.
‘She called for her but she didn’t reply. She could hear other members of the tour group but not did not hear anything from her sister.
‘So she went under looking for her. She was very brave.
The twins’ parents, Sue and Sean Laurie, said both their daughters had bite injuries from the predator
‘After several minutes she found Melissa floating face down on the surface.
‘But when she was bringing her back to the boat the crocodile attacked again.
‘Georgia had to fight it off. She kept punching it in the head. She suffered lacerations, bite wounds too.’
The twins had taken a boat trip to the Manialtepec Lagoon, which is a coastal lagoon described as a bioluminescence natural phenomenon.
A place rich in biodiversity, the lagoon is created by saltwater from the Pacific Ocean, freshwater from the Manialtepec River and the deep water of the lagoon itself.
Tourists – like the British women – take tours at night to look at the unique glowing bioluminescent waters at night. Swimmers are warned that crocodiles that can grow up to ten feet long – live in the lagoon.
Despite the warnings, the twins’ father claims that the sisters were assured by their tour company that there were no crocodiles in the water.
Parents Sue and Sean with their daughters Helen (left) and twins Melissa and Georgia during a day out in London
Melissa (left), a zookeeper, was saved from certain death by her sister who bravely entered the water to look for her
The twins had been assured by the tour company the lagoon was free of crocodiles before the croc attack
Mr Laurie, 63, a business consultant, explained: ‘The girls asked specifically if it was safe to go swimming and the guide had said it was.’
The sisters had been back-packing around the world. They left the UK in March and planned to return in November.
However the twins parents are now considering whether they need to fly out to Mexico to bring them home.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman told MailOnline: ‘We are supporting the family of two British women who are in hospital in Mexico, and are in contact with the local authorities.’
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