Missing Indonesian woman found dead inside 16-foot python

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INDONESIA, June 9: A woman in central Indonesia was found dead inside a python after the snake swallowed her whole, a local official reported on Saturday. This incident marks the fifth occurrence of such a tragedy in the country since 2017.

Farida, a 45-year-old mother of four from Kalempang village in South Sulawesi province, went missing on Thursday night. Her husband and fellow villagers discovered her remains on Friday inside a reticulated python that measured approximately five meters (16 feet) in length.

Suardi Rosi, the village head, told AFP that Farida’s husband became suspicious when he found her belongings during the search effort. “The villagers then searched the area and soon spotted a python with a large belly,” Suardi explained. “They agreed to cut open the python’s stomach, and as soon as they did, Farida’s head was immediately visible.”

Graphic video footage published by TMZ showed the snake being cut open in a wooded area, while additional footage posted by the Daily Mail depicted villagers carrying Farida’s body, still fully clothed, in a blanket past distressed onlookers.

Reticulated pythons, which are common in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, are known for their ability to consume large mammals such as monkeys and pigs. These snakes capture their prey with sharp, curved teeth and then constrict it before swallowing it whole. Although rare, there have been several fatal encounters between humans and pythons in Indonesia in recent years.

In 2022, a woman in Jambi province was killed and consumed by a python, according to local media reports cited by the BBC. In 2018, a seven-meter python swallowed a woman in Muna town, Southeast Sulawesi. In 2017, a farmer in West Sulawesi was found inside a four-meter python at a palm oil plantation, with villagers capturing the moment on a six-minute video.

The reticulated python, the longest snake species in the world, can grow over 20 feet in length and is native to Southern Asia. The longest one ever recorded, discovered in 1912, measured nearly 33 feet, according to London’s Natural History Museum.

While reticulated pythons are sometimes kept as pets in the U.S., they are known for their aggressive nature. Last year, a 14-foot python was found dead on Long Island, prompting a search for its owner. Similarly, in 2022, a 16-foot albino python was rescued after roaming a Texas neighborhood for months and was eventually returned to its owner.

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