A woman from Hwange, whose life was saved by her husband during a vicious crocodile attack, has sadly died from the injuries sustained in the incident.
Virginia Nyoni, 45, of Msuna-Kanjeza village in Hwange District, passed away on Thursday at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo, where she had been receiving specialist treatment.
Her death comes just 12 days after the terrifying encounter on 2 May, which took place as she was collecting water from the crocodile-infested Zambezi River, the village’s only available water source in the absence of a borehole.
In a desperate act of courage, Nyoni’s husband, Oliver Nyoni, a local village head, leapt into the river unarmed to fight off the crocodile, which had latched onto his wife and was pulling her into deeper water.
The area councillor, Lethukuthula Ngwenya, confirmed the tragic development. Said Ngwenya:
We have lost her. She died during a surgical procedure at Mpilo Central Hospital yesterday (Thursday). It is so tragic, and the whole village is distraught. I last spoke to her on Wednesday, and it all looked so promising.
Virginia leaves behind her grieving husband, Oliver, and their six children.
Oliver Nyoni, a respected village head in Msuna-Kanjeza, captured national attention for his extraordinary act of courage and devotion when he plunged into the Zambezi River to fight off the crocodile that was dragging his wife into deeper waters.
Virginia had suffered devastating injuries in the attack; her thigh was badly mangled, and one of her hands was torn open.
She was first rushed to the nearest clinic by a local safari operator, then transferred to Hwange Colliery Hospital, and later moved to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo for specialised care.
More: Chronicle
Tragic loss for the family.
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