Crocodile crushes ribs of Sabah fisherman -- who escapes by beating it with his bare hands

A 40-year-old fisherman was attacked from behind by a crocodile near Banggi Island in Sabah, Malaysia on Tuesday (Aug 29) -- and lived to tell the tale.

According to The Star, Nursahim Nusiri was making his routine fishing rounds at around 9pm when the reptile caught him in a vice-like grip on his upper torso.

However, Nursahim managed to escape the crocodile's jaws by beating it repeatedly with his bare hands and then screamed for help while trying to climb out of the water.

A few children playing nearby heard his cries and alerted other villagers, who arrived at the scene shortly and scared the animal away.

The victim suffered broken ribs and injured lungs.

He was sent to a clinic for treatment and later transferred to Hospital Kudat with assistance from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).

Nursahim is currently in a stable condition.