KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi – The body of a 63-year-old missing farmer was discovered inside the stomach of a massive python in South Buton District, sending shockwaves through the local community.
The victim, identified as LN, a resident of Majapahit Village in Batauga Subdistrict, had been reported missing since Friday morning after failing to return from his plantation.
According to Laode Risawal, head of emergency and logistics at the South Buton Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the horrifying discovery was made by villagers at around 2:30 p.m. local time on Saturday.
“Residents found a suspiciously large python struggling to move. When they cut the snake open, they confirmed it had swallowed the missing farmer,” said Risawal.
The reticulated python measured approximately eight meters (26 feet) in length.
Villagers had grown concerned after LN failed to meet neighbors for a planned appointment.
His family revealed he had not returned home, prompting a search of the plantation area. The search team located LN’s motorbike near the road but initially found no trace of him.
During the search, villagers encountered the bloated python a few hundred meters from the farmer’s hut. Based on its size and abnormal movements, they suspected it had eaten something large.
Upon killing and cutting open the snake, they found the farmer’s body inside.
Authorities confirmed this is the first recorded incident in South Buton of a person being swallowed by a snake. However, snake sightings in the area have become more frequent, especially during the rainy season, when large reptiles prey on livestock.
Sertu Dirman, the village military officer (Babinsa) in Majapahit, stated that his team assisted the locals in the search and verified that the snake was discovered near the missing man’s plantation.
LN’s remains have since been brought back to his family by BPBD and local residents.
Officials are now urging residents to be cautious and vigilant amid increasing human-wildlife encounters in the region.