THE mum of British twins who were attacked by a crocodile in Mexico says it was their BOND that saved them.
Georgia Laurie, 28, fended off the predator’s repeated attacks in the dark while dragging her unconscious twin Melissa out of the water following the vicious attack that saw the beast throw her sister “around like a rag doll”.
Mum Sue Laurie, 63, said last night that it was Georgia and Melissa’s unbreakable bond that saved their lives.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Mrs Laurie said: “They have always been there for each other.
“The girls can fight like cats and dogs, but there is no closer relationship than twins. They will do anything for each other.
“And what happened in Mexico shows just that. If Georgia had not have been there who knows what would have happened.”
Zookeeper Melissa was dragged underwater while swimming on Sunday night in Manialtepec Lagoon, ten miles from surfing resort Puerto Escondido.
Georgia heard her sister’s cry for help and found her floating face down on the surface.
As she dragged her twin to safety, the crocodile attacked again and savaged both women.
Georgia fought off the beast three times before getting her sister back to safety.
The 28-year-old repeatedly punched the croc in the face in a bid to get it to release her sister.
Discussing his daughter’s injuries, the twins’ business consultant Sean said: “Melissa has lacerations all over her abdomen, her body, bite injuries.
“Her wrist is broke and has been pinned in several places.
“But her worst injuries are in her lungs. She was half-drowned.”
The stunned sister of the British twins who were attacked by a crocodile revealed she thought it was a joke when her mum told her about her siblings battling the beast.
Hana Laurie, 33, described the moment her mum called to tell her what happened to her sisters in Mexico.
“My mum called me really early in the morning, I’m known to be a bit of an early riser, had it not been so early I would have thought that she was joking,” Hana said.
“It’s not a very funny joke… I just couldn’t believe it, it’s so rare so I kind of sat in silence for a little bit.”
Speaking on BBC Radio Solent, Hana recalled how she managed to speak to Georgia on a video call shortly after the incident which was “very emotional.”
“I told her how proud I am, how grateful I am, without her, I wouldn’t have my other sister, without them being so fierce we would have been in a totally different situation.”
The women were volunteering with animals in the country and had been taking a break when the crocodile attacked.
Hana, the twins’ older sister, said her siblings booked the tour through their hostel.
But the women later found out the tour guide was not registered – and had taken them to an “unsafe” swimming spot which was not approved.
“He’s an unlicensed tour guide and according to someone on a Mexican Facebook page he’s been doing it for a while, doing illegal tours in unsafe, unregistered areas,” Hana said.
“He’s gone to where the crocodiles live and not the location where all legal certified sanctioned tours take place.
“He has been called out locally before, apparently, but that wasn’t for my sisters to know.
“They found out the information through their hospital.”
The rogue guide is now feared to have fled after taking the women on the “illegal” tour of the reptile-infested lagoon.
Manialtepec Lagoon is famous for its bioluminescent waters caused by millions of tiny creatures that glow in the dark.
And swimmers who visit the Manialtepec Lagoon are warned that crocodiles up to ten feet long live there.
Hana said her brave sister Georgia fought off the crocodile three times by punching it in the face.
“What Georgia had told us is that she didn’t know what else to do other than just try and get to Melissa and just to hit it so we’re so lucky that Georgia’s got water safety training so she knew how to get Melissa and drag her away with her divemaster training,” she said.
“She’s been working in diving for years – so we were very lucky that she’s managed to get to Melissa in the water and just repeatedly hit the crocodile until it released her.
“She’s got cuts and bruises and injuries on her hands from where she was punching the crocodile three times, so each time she had to fight again. I’m so proud of her, I’m in awe.”
The latest update about Melissa, Hana told the BBC, is that she is in a medically induced coma and that she has had a couple of operations to stop the internal bleeding.
“She was struggling to breathe as she was taken to the emergency department so they’ve put her into a medically-induced coma so they can try and drain some of the water, they can keep the risk of infection low, but now it’s a waiting game, she’s in a delicate spot,” Hana said.
Georgia and Melissa had been travelling around the world together since March.
The twins were due to arrive home this November.
Following the ordeal, their parents are considering flying out to Mexico to bring them home.
Hana has since set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for her sisters’ medical care and pending travel costs.
So far she has raised more than £20,00. To donate to the fund, click here.
