Journalist killed by crocodile while washing hands in a lagoon in Sri Lanka

A British tourist -- Financial Times journalist Paul McClean -- went missing in Sri Lanka after some witnesses saw him being dragged into a lagoon by a crocodile. McClean is now presumed dead.

Reports state that McClean had been taking surfing lessons and was pulled into the water in a lagoon while the 24-year-old was washing his hands on Thursday afternoon.

"A British tourist was at a surf spot called Elephant Rock. There's a lagoon right next to the sea he went to the toilet next to the lagoon and was grabbed by a crocodile," a Scottish tourist, who is currently on holiday in the area, said.

"There are lots in the lagoon. People last saw his arms in the air in the water and then was grabbed under. I was there but didn't see it happen though. Horrible" the Scot told The Guardian.

"They are searching for a body but haven't found anything yet. They are 90 percent sure it was a crocodile but a couple of the guys said there was quicksand in the lagoon, he added.

The owner of Safa Surf School, Fawas Lafeer, said that the witnesses definitely saw a crocodile take him into the water.

"He went in the jungle, about 800 metres [874 yards]. It was when he was washing his hands that the crocodile took him. There is a river connected to Elephant Rock, and he went in the river. They can't do anything because the river is deep and murky, it is not very clear. They have sent out the navy, army and the task force," Lafeer said.

Lafeer said that he came to know about the incident from the witnesses, and added that this is the first time anything like this has happened in the region. He deemed Elephant Rock as a safe region to surf.

Reports state that McClean and his friends had been staying at the East Beach Surf Resort, in the south-east of the country. They were taking surfing lessons at Elephant Bay when the incident occurred. 

"We're all totally stunned. He was a great kid, an Everton fan, super bright. It's an absolute tragedy," a colleague at the FT told Telegraph.

McClean was an Oxford graduate with a first class honours degree in French. He had worked for the Financial Times newspaper for two years after his graduation and had covered the EU and Brexit.