A woman was killed by an alligator after riding over it in a canoe with her husband in Central Florida. The woman’s body was recovered at Tiger Creek in Polk County, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed at a press conference Wednesday. The woman was identified as 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema. Maj. Evan Laskowski revealed Diekema and her husband were canoeing in 2.5 feet of water when they “passed over a large alligator.” The “alligator thrashed and tipped the canoe over and both individuals ended up in the water,” Laskowski said, adding that Diekema was sitting in the bow of the canoe “and ended up on top of the alligator and was bitten.” Her husband attempted to intervene but was unsuccessful. She was pulled underwater by the animal, which officials described as more than 11 feet long. She was later spotted by a police helicopter and her body recovered. Authorities have captured two alligators since the attack but it is unclear if they were euthanized. “This tragedy serves as a sombre reminder of the powerful wildlife that share our natural spaces,” Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Executive Director Roger Young said.
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