This is the terrifying moment when about 20 young swimmers were stranded on a lake’s floating platform while two giant alligators circled them.
The grim scene – at Huntsville State Park, in Texas, USA – has emerged in a series of spine-chilling TikTok videos.
The swimmers – many of them young children – had been taking advantage of the early summer sun on America’s holiday Memorial Day weekend.
But as they relaxed on the lake’s floating jetty, they spotted at least two predatory ‘gators lurking in the waters around them.
The footage – from TikTok user Alvaro Ruiz shared on 28th May – shows the swimmers stranded on the platform as the alligators seem to wait for them to jump in.
Ruiz explained: “All the people are in a panic waiting for rescuers to come… to collect or save or remove the animals that are there from the water.
“It is dangerous to get into the water right now.”
Astonishingly a crowd of more than 100 spectators assembled on the lake’s shore drinking sodas and eating snacks while they watched the drama unfold.
Some tried to drive off the huge reptiles by throwing stones and screamed in terror when the ‘gators snapped and turned on them.
But the swimmers were only saved when park rangers sent a boat to ferry them to the shore out of the reach of the alligators’ snapping jaws.
Footage of the rescue shows tearful children being reunited with their families as the boat pulls into the shore.
Local media reported that Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has an online advisory service on how to stay safe around alligators in the wild.
Many social media users who commented on the video said warning signs about alligators in the water can be seen everywhere in the park.
TikToker ‘user775993813868’ said: “And this is why I never get into these lakes, rivers, beaches, you never know what’s lurking from underneath. Scary.”
And user ‘roxanamitchell985’ commented: “I grew up in Huntsville. They have signs every where [they’re] warning people of alligators. I once waited on the ‘pier’ till they swam off.”
And ‘AL22’ added: “Can’t believe people live here all their life and they don’t know that there is alligators in most lakes in Texas.”
Alligators are said to be more aggressive between April and June in their mating season.