A huge search is underway in Florida for a two-year-old child who was dragged into the water by an alligator. The boy was playing with his two siblings, under the supervision of his parents, near the water's edge at the Seven Seas Lagoon, near Disney’s five-star Grand Floridian Resort & Spa when the animal attacked. Despite the best efforts of his father, who attempted to wrestle the child from the alligator's grip, it managed to escape, taking the child with it. Witnesses say the animal was between 4ft and 7ft long.

Officials are also searching the perimeter of the water with flashlights where toddler was taken by #gator #Disney pic.twitter.com/Jh22S1kzhU

— Christal Hayes (@Journo_Christal) June 15, 2016

A fifty-strong rescue team is now combing the shore, with Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings confirming that a dive team are on stand-by.

“There is a sandy beach area and the family was out simply relaxing... and in the water along the lake’s edge at the time the alligator attacked the child." Demings explained. “The father entered the water and tried to grab the child and was not successful in doing so. At some point I am told the mother may also have entered the water. "As a father, as a grandfather, we're going to hope for the best in these circumstances, but based on my 35 years of law enforcement experience, we know we have some challenges ahead of us,"

The family is reportedly from Nebraska and had been holidaying in the area when the incident occurred.