A 63-year-old Indonesian farmer's body was found inside an 8-meter-long python in Southeast Sulawesi's South Buton District. Head of the emergency and logistics division of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of South Buton, Laode Risawal, said the victim was reported missing since Friday morning after he failed to return home from his plantation, according to a report by Antara. Residents discovered the body at 2:30 p.m. local time in Majapahit Village.
"The victim, a farmer, was found by residents who discovered LN had been swallowed by a snake," Mr Risawal stated.
Residents suspected something was amiss when they saw an enormous python struggling in the plantation. Believing it had eaten something large, they killed the snake. Upon cutting it open, they were shocked to find the farmer's body inside. The authorities, along with locals, then transported LN's body to his home.
According to Mr Risawal, this incident marks the first time a resident has been swallowed by a python in the area. However, he noted that snakes have been frequently spotted in the village, particularly during the rainy season, attacking livestock.
The village supervisory officer, Sertu Dirman, reported that the victim's family filed a missing person's complaint after he did not return from the plantation. They searched the plantation, finding the victim's motorbike parked by the road. Further search led to the discovery of a python near the victim's hut, which residents suspected had swallowed a person due to its appearance. After killing the snake, they found the victim's body inside its stomach.
This incident is not entirely unprecedented, as another Indonesian farmer was found in a similar situation in 2017. The body of a 25-year-old Akbar was found when local people cut open a 7-metre (23 foot) python after it was found bloated and slithering awkwardly in the village of Salubiro, on the eastern island of Sulawesi, in March 2017.
The breed of snake, which regularly tops 20 feet, is commonly found in Indonesia and the Philippines. While the serpents have been known to attack small animals, attempts to eat people are rare.
