Crocodile kills African pastor during mass baptism

A giant crocodile killed an African pastor as he was conducting a mass baptism.

The predator leapt from the water and grabbed Docho Eshete just after he started baptising 80 people on the shores of Lake Abaya in Ethiopia, reports the BBC.

“He baptised the first person and he passed on to another one,” said eyewitness Ketema Kairo.

“All of a sudden a crocodile jumped out of the lake and grabbed the pastor.”

It was reported the clergyman suffered bites to his legs, back and hands.

Local fishermen battled with the predator to retrieve Eshete’s body.

They only succeeded by throwing their nets into the water to stop the croc carrying it away.

The reptile – believed to be a Nile croc - escaped.

Some of the predators can grow up to six metres in length and weigh as much as 1000kgs.

Experts believe they carry out more than 300 attacks on humans in Africa every year.