"Scary as hell": Survivor 49 fans react to Jake's evacuation after a venomous snake bite

Survivor Season 49 aired episode 3 on October 8, 2025, featuring a terrifying incident that ended one contestant’s time on the show. 

Jake Latimer got bitten in the right foot by a venomous sea krait while sitting by the shore. The 36-year-old was immediately evacuated from the island by the show’s medical team and sent to the base camp, where a doctor was waiting for further examination.

It was later revealed that the snake’s bite was dry, which meant that no venom was injected into Jake’s body. 

The Saskatchewan native was immediately put on oxygen and fluids for stabilization.

Although he was out of danger, the doctor stated that it was not safe for him to return to camp and continue the competition, which is known for its physical challenges. 

As a result, Jake was pulled out of the competition and sent home.

The moment was upsetting for him, as he was willing to potentially miss the birth of his child for the chance to win the $1 million cash prize.

The episode later revealed that Jake had returned home safely and managed to witness the birth of his child. 

Survivor fans took to X to share their thoughts on the incident. While some were terrified by the accident, others sympathized with Jake. 

“Scary as hell. I feel awful for Jake. But I love that the world gets to see how amazing all the behind-the-scenes folks are on #Survivor,” a netizen commented.

Survivor fans were taken aback by the incident and its impact on Jake’s journey. 

“That’s very possibly the scariest moment in #Survivor history for many of those involved. You can see the panic from producers. And being pulled from the game knowing there’s no venom in the bite must be such a gut punch. Devastating for Jake. Ugh,” a user wrote.

“I wasn’t rooting for Jake but this is a heartbreaking moment for anyone to have to go through. Watching your dream slip away because of something so unexpected like a snake bite is one of the worst feelings imaginable,” another one commented.

“i'm glad jake made it back home for the birth of his son but mannnn i feel so f**king bad for him still,” a person reacted.

Other Survivor fans expressed a similar sentiment.

“R U F**KING KIDDING ME HE'S SERIOUSLY BEING MEDVAC.... I'M ACTUALLY DEVASTED???” one user wrote.

“Jake getting bitten by a snake is insane. Typically when we hear about people being the victims of snakes on this show this is NOT what we’re referencing,” another netizen commented.

“In all seriousness I’m very glad the crew immediately jumped into action once they realized what happened to Jake. Snake bites are nothing to mess around about and it’s truly miraculous that no venom was admitted,” a fan posted.

Survivor host Jeff Probst recalls everything that happened during Jake’s evacuation

While speaking on this week’s episode of the official Survivor podcast, On Fire, Jeff looked back on the snake-bite incident, narrating everything that happened at the time.

As he explained, when Jake alerted everyone he had been bitten, producer Ryan Hopkins examined his wound and immediately alerted the base camp.

Fortunately, a boat was already present at the Kele tribe, so it hastened the evacuation process.

However, things took a turn when the medical team lost all contact with the people on the boat.

“The medical team and the boat and camera team traveling with Jake on the boat all lost communication for a moment. I mean, this never happens,” Jeff said.

He continued:

“And so during that time of no communication, it was unclear to everybody back at base camp if Jake was conscious and breathing properly. It was a terrifying moment.”

Luckily, the boat reached the base camp safely, and Jake was greeted by doctors and nurses, who checked his vitals and saw if any venom had entered his system. 

Jeff added that the incident was rare, so much so that the doctors had to call specialists “all over the world” to get some insight on the snake. 

After it was declared that Jake would not be returning to the game, he was taken to Lautoka Hospital for better treatment, but to no avail. 

Ultimately, he was flown to a facility in Australia. After the doctors there gave him the all-clear, he was sent home. 

Stay tuned for more updates.