A MAN wrestled a crocodile to escape its grasp after it latched on to his head off the Northern Australian coast.

Frenchman Yoann Galeran, 29, had swum out to retrieve a dinghy when the saltwater croc attacked about 8pm Sunday off Nhulunbuy, in the Northern territory.

The crocodile grabbed Mr Galeran by the head as he swam out to the dinghy in the Gove harbour, The NT News reports.

The brave deckhand fought for his life, punching the reptile until he was able to get free from its grasp.

But the crocodile wasn't about to give up, returning for a second attack.

Mr Galeran was again able to fight off the 2m beast before finally scrambling to safety in the dinghy. His boss, Lisa

Heathcote, said Mr Galeran was in a state of shock when he returned to their boat.

"He came back into the boat and said he had been attacked by a crocodile," she said.

"He was laughing but I think it was shock."

Read more at The NT News

Originally published as Croc bites man, man punches croc