A QUICK-THINKING boater has been credited with saving a mother’s life after she was dragged underwater by a nearly 10-foot alligator.

The 58-year-old woman was with her family in Silver River, east of Ocala, Florida, on Saturday when the reptile launched a “full speed” attack, witnesses said.

Dina Rae Spann, a 58-year-old mother, was attacked by an alligator in Florida on Saturday

A witness recalled seeing the alligator swimming in the water and heading toward a group of people (stock photo)

Bystander John Gamache was on his boat nearby and jumped into action after he heard the attack unfold

The woman (not pictured) was in the Silver River in Florida when an alligator attacked her

Dina Rae Spann fought back with a paddle after the 9-foot 8-inch alligator struck, but as she tried to fight it, it bit her arm.

The alligator ripped off her right arm, and ate one of the fingers on her left hand, her son told the Daily Mail.

John Gamache was eating lunch with his father on their boat near the scene when they heard the events unfold.

Gamache told Fox affiliate WOFL that he spotted the alligator approaching the group in the clear spring water.

“I looked just upriver from us a couple hundred feet and saw an alligator head way above the water and going full speed towards the swimmers,” he recalled.

By the time Gamache was able to reach Spann, the alligator had let go of her, and the sound of his boat had the reptile fleeing.

Gamache found the woman clinging to a paddleboard as several nearby swimmers appeared in distress.

“I noticed just a cloud of blood, and four or five swimmers panic,” he said.

“It did pull her under for awhile, and looking at the extent of her injury, there was a lot of action going on underwater.”

He rushed to help her after seeing the state of her injuries and used a rope to make a tourniquet on her bleeding and mangled arm.

“It was a terrible injury, bones poking out, blood everywhere,” he said.

“Obviously, the minutes mattered.”

Spann’s arm was amputated after the attack

A sign near the river advises visitors of the dangers of alligators

Gamache and his father helped bring the other swimmers and children onto their boat before speeding off to a nearby boat launch.

First responders then rushed the woman to the hospital, and on Sunday, her family confirmed to WOFL that she was discharged.

Spann is now at home recovering after having her right arm amputated.

Spann’s son Zachary said in an interview with the Daily Mail that out-of-state visitors have begun feeding alligators in the river, which he believes could be why the gator came so close to his mom.

“It absolutely causes them to approach, when they feel like there is no threat. I’ve never seen anything like that,” he said.

“I grew up camping the Oklawaha with my mom and my dad since I was a kid. We spend almost every other weekend on the water. Alligators are normally timid and scared of humans.

“She lost her right arm and one finger on the left, but she’s strong. She’s good. She’s making jokes she’s just herself.”

Spann’s family has since reached out to Gamache to express their gratitude for his quick-thinking efforts.

“They called earlier and we talked for a while and it was heartwarming to hear them explain their emotions,” he told WOFL.

“We’re glad that it happened as good as it could have. Like the result is just the sustained injury and nothing more.”

Silver River closed temporarily after the attack as Marion County officials worked to remove the alligator.

The river was back open on Sunday.

Wildlife officials have urged anyone with concerns about an alligator sighting to contact the Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-392-4286.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/news/16826009/alligator-attack-silver-river-florida-woman-arm-amputated/