Ian Botham falls into crocodile-infested river on fishing trip in Australia

Legendary English cricketer Ian Botham narrowly escaped a dangerous encounter in Australia’s Northern Territory after falling into a crocodile-infested river during a fishing trip with former Ashes rival-turned-friend Merv Hughes. 

The 68-year-old cricket icon tripped while crossing the Moyle River, an area notorious for its crocodiles and bull sharks, after his flip-flop caught on a rope, sending him tumbling into the waters.

Fortunately, Hughes quickly sprang into action, pulling Botham to safety before the nearby predators could react. Botham suffered only bruising to his torso, and his quick recovery left him unfazed by the incident. 

Reflecting on the close call, he said, “At the end of the day Crocodile Beefy survived. I was out of the water quicker than I went in it. Quite a few sets of eyes were having a peep at me. Luckily I had no time to think about what was in the water.”

“The guys were brilliant. It was just one of those accidents. It was all very quick and I’m OK now,” he added.

Botham extended his gratitude to Hughes and the rest of the team for their swift rescue efforts, calling it "just one of those accidents" that fortunately ended without serious harm.

The incident hasn’t diminished Botham’s passion for fishing, a pastime he’s loved since his youth. In a previous interview, he shared, “More than shooting or golf, fishing is my biggest passion. I need solitude, and fly-fishing, which fascinates me, offers that.

“There is definitely something about rivers, the flow of water, watching on as the day goes by... I've never found a stretch of river that hasn't somehow interested me.

“There certainly isn't much salmon fishing down in London. Look, I'm a country boy, cities are fine for a good dinner, but I can't wait to get away from them.”