Lauren Failla DEAD: Vanderbilt Alum Killed By Crocodile 4 Years After Sister Dies In Climbing Accident

Vanderbilt graduate Lauren Failla was killed late last month in a crocodile attack while snorkeling in India, the Vanderbilt Hustler reports. She was 25.

MSNBC has more:

On April 28, [Failla] was enjoying a vacation with her boyfriend after earning her master's degree in art at Sotheby's Art Institute in London. She disappeared during a snorkeling outing. Two days later, her remains, mauled by a giant saltwater crocodile, were recovered.

The attack was reportedly captured on an underwater videocam that Failla's boyfriend was using to record the dive. The camera was recovered along with Failla's remains. According to a local newspaper account, personnel involved in recovering the remains had to fight off the crocodile in order to obtain Failla's body.

In a tragic twist, Failla's older sister, Emily, was killed almost exactly four years ago in a rock climbing accident in Washington. She was 24 and also a graduate of Vanderbilt.

WATCH: The Today Show reports on the deaths of the New Jersey sisters.

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Comments

[Doug Flight]

08:29 AM on 05/12/2010

Karma?

[SilentSolidarity]

12:30 PM on 05/11/2010

I feel so sorry.

[ZiloRS]

07:07 AM on 05/11/2010

Gosh that must be one of the worst ways to die

[janex]

12:19 AM on 05/11/2010

How horrifically sad for her parents.

[topkatnc]

10:08 PM on 05/10/2010

Wow...what a sad , sad story....And her parents losing another daughter ...

[Jasel]

09:04 PM on 05/10/2010

Man I feel bad for their parents

[lungfish]

07:34 PM on 05/10/2010

Saltwater crocs are no joke, they are big and sneaky... anyone getting in the sea should be aware and alert and prepared for all kinds of oddball events.... I have had close encounters with all kinds of unexpected critters from sharks and marlin to barracuda and whales and dolphins and if you are in the game then it can all go pretty well. And if not, then you are at a distinct disadvantage.. I teach freediving and sea swimming www.everbluefreediving.com and we have a saying here... never turn your back on the sea...

[Timestamp]

07:32 PM on 05/10/2010

Man, that is one real horror story.

[Steve Blackmore]

07:20 PM on 05/10/2010

What a terrible coincidence for the family.

[MikeDu]

07:00 PM on 05/10/2010

Poor girl. I'm reading more and more stories about adventure vacationers trying to "live life on the edge" without giving much thought to what precisely is on the other side of that provebial 'edge'. Falling off cliffs, tumbling into volcanoes, being bitten/gored/mauled by one large animal or another. The aphorism goes that life tastes sweetest when in the presence of death, but I'm not entirely sure these people were particularly *aware* of their close proximity to death before their mishap(s).

[Havana Thinks]

02:29 AM on 05/11/2010

How true!!! Why aren't there prep classes B4 the snorkels, wet suits, scuba gear, mountain climbing attire, etc. are provided? People need 2 know the dangers. They weren't suicidal. They were uninformed or perhaps, felt invincible. I am feeling so sorry 4 the parents. G.od bless them.

[SiberianRat]

05:54 PM on 05/10/2010

Gruesome. I hope it killed her quickly. I love swimming in the Indian Ocean, but I guess I'll be more aware of this possibility after this unfortunate story.

[Patty Nowell-Odom]

05:49 PM on 05/10/2010

This is truly a tragedy and it sounds like signs do need to be posted; but one needs to assume that it is a risk to enter any body of water-especially one so near crocodile habitat. Australia is teaching its citizens to assume crocs are in any body of water and not to depend on signs alone. There is actually no such thing as "safe" ocean or rivers anyway, as many types of predators may make their home there.

[Alyse Sheridan]

05:16 PM on 05/10/2010

Her poor family. My heart just goes out to them.

[javajava]

05:15 PM on 05/10/2010

Sad....My thoughts and condolences to those she loved and that loved her.

[MarcEdward]

05:12 PM on 05/10/2010

Wow - what a terrible loss for the parents! It's heartbreaking.
OTOH, this is a lesson to those who's kids sit around watching TV and playing video games - no crocs will come out of your TV