A brave woman made a miraculous escape as she managed to free herself from a killer crocodile pulling her underwater in Indonesia.

Nurhalimah, 32, was bathing in the Bangkalan Melayu River in the Kotabaru Regency in South Kalimantan on June 14.

While she was busy cleaning herself, the hungry beast ambushed her and dragged her by the legs several metres into the water.

The panicked victim screamed for help, alerting her older sister, Lawiyah, to the deadly attack.

Lawiyah rushed to Nurhalimah's aid upon seeing her flailing on the stream's surface. She grabbed onto her sister and engaged in a tug of war with the crocodile until the predator finally relented.

Nurhalimah survived the harrowing incident, which left her legs mangled and misshapen.

Inspector Abdul Shomad, Head of the Kelumpang Hulu Sector Police, said: 'The victim was rescued. However, she was seriously injured. Her left leg was broken.

'She was rushed to the hospital for immediate medical treatment.'

Graphic footage shows Nurhalimah lying in pain on the ground while waiting for an ambulance. A huge 30cm-long gash on her skinned leg exposed the muscle underneath.

Following the incident, authorities have appealed to residents to be more careful when moving around the river.

Indonesia has a large population of estuarine crocodiles that flourish in the region's climate. They are the largest and most violent crocodile species in the world.

Locals in the developing country still use rivers for bathing as well as fishing, which results in a high number of crocodile attacks.