A Florida woman lost her arm after an alligator attacked her while she was swimming with a group in the Silver River near Ocala on Saturday. A nearby boater reacted quickly and is credited with helping to save her life after the incident, which comes amid a wider rise in alligator attacks reported across Florida.

The woman spotted the alligator approaching and attempted to fend it off with a paddle, but the animal seized her right arm and pulled her underwater. Wildlife experts have pointed to factors such as drought conditions as a possible reason for the increase in gator encounters in the state this year.