Hungry piranhas ate a footballer in Brazil after he jumped into a lake to escape the police chasing him. According to Daily Star, Brazilian footballer Luiz Henrique Coelho de Andrade was unrecognizable when his body was recovered from the piranha-infested river in the Brazil's state of Amazonas on Saturday.

The outlet reported that Luiz's remains were nearly a skeleton after spending only 11 hours in the river as piranhas ate his flesh.

Authorities allegedly mistook the 21-year-old Brazilian footballer for a criminal as he headed home from a soccer match. The police officers reportedly ordered Luiz to get into the Rio Negro river in Manaus, where they allegedly started shooting until he went into the water.

Reports said the police officers told men on a canoe who saw Luiz struggling to stay afloat not to help the footballer.

Luiz's mother, Leila Coelho, said his son does not know how to swim. She believed that the unnamed officers ordered and opened fire at his son to force him to get into the river, even though he could not swim.

The mother also claimed that the occupants of the passing canoe tried to help the Brazilian footballer, but the cops threatened them and ordered them to stop helping his son.

Luiz's mother said his son went missing in Educandos, Manaus before his body was found. The Daily Star reported that some cops and firefighters took part in searching for the missing young man.

Reports noted that the skeletal remains of the footballer were tangled in a fishing net when it was being pulled from the Rio Negro river, which is a tributary of the Amazon River. Officials said an investigation is set to be launched into Luiz's death.

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Another Man in Brazil Eaten by Piranhas After Being Chased by Bees

Last November, a 30-year-old man in Brazil was also eaten by piranhas after jumping into a lake to escape from bees that attacked him and his friends.

According to Newsweek, the man jumped into the lake in Brasilândia de Minas without knowing it was filled with piranhas.

Two of his friends reportedly managed to swim away from the body of water. However, the 30-year-old man was not lucky enough to do the same.

According to reports, authorities found the man's body four meters away from the shoreline after the fire department was called in for help. His body was disfigured and torn apart by the piranhas, including his face.

It was unclear if the man died from drowning or from the bites of the piranhas. However, officials said the man's body was found in a position commonly seen on people who drowned.

How to Swim Peacefully With Piranhas

Piranhas are vicious predators known to live in the waters of South America. According to Wiki How, this fish species usually resides in still or slow-moving streams or lakes.

To stay away from the danger of piranhas, Wiki How suggests not to swim in bodies of fresh water during the dry season, which is usually from April to September. That is because, during this time, water levels fall dramatically, and food is less plentiful.

Swimming during the night may also be helpful if going into the waters is inevitable. Piranhas are known to be less active during the night.

Preventing oneself from making a fuss in the water is also one way to avoid the dangers of piranhas. Studies suggest that piranhas are more attracted to activity than blood from an open wound.

Creating a diversion will also save swimmers if ever piranhas notice them in the waters. They could throw an animal's flesh or carcass to divert their attention. However, keep in mind that piranhas can chomp down on flesh in minutes, so it's better to cross a body of water very quickly before they sense you.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Holding a Red Bellied Piranha | Ultimate Killers - From BBC Earth