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SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE (California) 21 March 06 Medical Professor Killed by Crocodile
Seattle (AP) A University of Washington medical professor who moved to Botswana to alleviate a doctor shortage was killed when a crocodile dragged him from a canoe, his family and colleagues said.
Richard K. Root, 68, was on a wildlife tour Sunday of the Limpopo River after visiting a clinic in the area.
He was in a lead canoe with tour guides when the crocodile thrust from the water, grabbed him and pulled him under, said Steve Gluckman, medical director of the Botswana program. He was not seen again.
The tour guides were wary of hippos, but there had been no reports of crocodile attacks in the area, Gluckman said.
Root was a nationally known expert in infectious disease and the former chief of medicine at Seattle's Harborview Medical Center.
He had moved to the southern African nation only this month to train health care workers to deal with AIDS.
Medical Professor Killed by Crocodile

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MMEGI (Gaborone, Botswana) 28 March 06 Surviving the crocodile attack (Onalenna Modikwa)
Mashatu: Rudi Lebang considers himself one of the luckiest men alive. He is still wondering how he escaped from the crocodile attack that claimed the life of 68-year-old American medic Professor Richard Root on the Limpopo River. Lebang, an employee of Tuli Safari Lodge was the coxswain when a crocodile grabbed the doctor from his canoe.
He says the day started off brightly and as usual, he was enjoying transporting tourists in the canoe.
"Root and his wife Rita O'Boyle were on a wildlife tour in Mashatu. On their last day, they decided to take a ride along the river before catching an 11 am flight back to Gaborone. They had packed their belongings and just whiling away time."
The couple used two separate canoes and the expedition kicked off with the husband and his coxswain, Lebang in the lead. Lebang said as they were paddling along, they established a good relationship and he explained to the doctor whatever he wished to know. "Less attention was paid on the security of the river nor did we bother to see how far our counterparts were behind us. The last thing we discussed was Lentswe le Moriti hill that is always shady and the doctor admired it."
Little did the two men know that the crocodile had either laid in an ambush or was silently swimming beside them.
"By the time I heard a deafening splash, the crocodile which hit the canoe on the side had already snatched the doctor with his shoulder and pulled him down into the water and capsizing the canoe."
Lebang said he was engulfed by an immense fright but he had to swim to save his own life. The water was very strong and occasionally overpowered him. He sank to the bottom of the river and by the time he battled to emerge his head hit the canoe. The battle went on for about 30 minutes when he managed to get hold of the canoe and swim towards the river bank.
He kept a watchful eye lest he fell prey to the crocodile. He reached the bank about 5km from the scene of the incident. With the canoe, Lebang hoped to ward off the crocodiles incase of an attack. He said while he was still battling for survival, he could see the edge of the doctor's jacket occasionally emerging from the water.
After realising that he had survived, he tried to find a way of saving the doctor but he gave up and started tracing the other canoe with the doctor's wife. By then the wife's coxswain had paddled the canoe to the river bank on the South African border. When she was informed of what happened, the wife wanted to commit suicide by drowning.
Scuba divers from Botswana Defence Force and Police and wildlife officials conducted the search but in vain on Sunday and Monday. On the other side South African officials also started their search. The search bore fruits two days after the attack when part of the doctor's leg was found floating. His other remains were discovered in the bushes near the river bank, some 20km from the scene of the attack. The remains were collected and taken for post-mortem before being cremated in Mahalapye last Friday. The ashes were flown to his home town of Seattle in the United States.
Lebang finds some solace in the fact that at least some of the medic's remains were found. He says he has come to terms with the incident and he does not fear the river. He has rejected an offer to go for counselling or leave.
The canoe expedition at the lodge was stopped with immediate effect after the incident.
Root had been in Botswana for a month and was a medical expert at the University of Washington Medical School. He was a volunteer doctor at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone and an expert in infectious diseases. He was on a two months' assignment to teach and provide medical care for HIV/AIDS patients in Marina.
The director of Tuli Safari Lodge Wendy Du Toit where the deceased spent his last days said the incident has impacted negatively on the lodge. She said since last week, nobody has booked and others checked out.
Surviving the crocodile attack