2 massive alligators captured after Orlando woman dies from attack, FWC says

GENEVA, Fla. - A recreational swim turned deadly for an Orlando woman who was severely injured and later died from an alligator attack in Central Florida. 

State officials offered condolences to the woman's family over her deadly encounter with an alligator, noting that while such deadly encounters are rare, there's a risk to swimming in Florida waters. 

What we know:

Seminole County officials received a 911 call from the woman's boyfriend, around 1:30 p.m., June 28, who was "trying to get her from the alligator’s mouth," Chad Weber, Public Information Officer (PIO) for Florida Fish & Wildlife, said during a June 29 media briefing. 

The woman was bitten on both of her arms, he said. 

When first responders arrived, the woman was transported as a trauma alert to a nearby trauma center, Seminole County Fire reported. 

The FWC later reported the woman died from her injuries. 

FWC officials said the woman was hiking with her boyfriend when they stopped to swim in three feet of water. 

Though it's not known what prompted the alligator to attack, Weber said, "Right now, in our investigation, it doesn’t look like they were doing anything malicious to the alligator," 

Risk of entering Florida's waters

Weber spoke about the risk of injury when entering Florida's water. 

"Every body of water could potentially have an alligator in it," Weber said. "… There is some risk when you swim in the bodies of water in the state of Florida." 

Weber didn't shed light on what might have prompted the attack, but said the end of alligators’ mating season is approaching, explaining that during this time alligators can be "very territorial." 

"It’s hard to speculate and pinpoint what the exact reason was," he said. 

What we don't know:

Weber didn’t say if the area – which is managed by the Florida Forest Service – has signage warning people about alligators potentially being in the water. 

Officials also did not confirm if swimming is permitted in the Econlockhatchee River. 

The woman's identity has not been publicly released at this time as officials are waiting to notify family members who are out of state. 

Watch: Full press conference

The backstory:

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission – along with Seminole County officials – responded to the Barr Street Trailhead at the Little Big Econ State Forest after receiving reports of a woman bitten by an alligator. This attack resulted in serious injuries, officials said. 

When first responders arrived, the woman was transported as a trauma alert to a nearby trauma center, Seminole County Fire reported. 

The FWC later reported the woman died from her injuries. 

2 alligators ‘harvested’ by trappers: FWC

Following the attack, officials used aerial tactics to locate and retrieve two exceptionally large alligators from the area, measuring 12 and 13 feet long.

The 13-foot alligator was located directly at the scene of the incident, while the 12-foot alligator was found nearby. Based on witness descriptions of a "very large alligator," officials believe one of these two reptiles was involved in the attack.

Activities at Little Big Econ State Forest

Little Big Econ State Forest is a popular recreation spot for biking, camping, fishing, hiking, paddling and more, the Florida Department of Agriculture's website said. 

The winding Econlockhatchee River – known as "The Econ," which flows 17 miles through the forest – empties into the St. Johns River. The forest is home to a variety of wildlife, including alligators, southern fox squirrels, gopher tortoises, gopher frogs, bald eagles and more. 

What's next:

The FWC has completed an analysis of the two alligators found, the agency said. The samples will be taken to the agency’s laboratory in Gainesville to determine whether the animals "harvested" were involved in the incident. 

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