Swimming banned in river in Saxony-Anhalt after crocodile sightings

Emergency services have been called to look for a crocodile in Germany’s Unstrut River after multiple witnesses reported seeing one of the scaly creatures. Authorities have consequently banned swimming in parts of the river.

Croc on the loose!

Following multiple reports that a crocodile was seen in and around the Unstrut River in eastern Germany, the district administrator of Burgenland, Götz Ulrich, has banned swimming in parts of the river until September 6. "Search for crocodile in Unstrut without success," Ulrich tweeted on Sunday. "From tomorrow locks open, boat operation possible. But I have imposed a bathing ban for the entire Unstrut in Saxony-Anhalt until September 6, 2020."

Despite crocodiles not being native to Germany or Europe, police had previously received two reports from people claiming to have seen the croc near Laucha an der Unstrut in Saxony-Anhalt.

The police are taking the sightings seriously and have been searching for the reptile since Friday morning. The river locks in the Unstrut had been closed while emergency services searched the river but have since been allowed to open.