I wonder if this rather grusome tale is plausible; I link to the story without further comment: The Sun
The clue is in the name of the source of this “news story” — don’t believe anything you ever read in The Scum.
On the one hand, eels are quite resilient animals - someone asked me to suggest an animal that could be inserted into a human rectum with hope of its survival, I’d probably suggest an eel (they’re pre-lubricated too). And the story only mentions ‘bowels’, which could be talking about just a small part of the victim’s insides.
On the other hand, the story originates in China, and is being reported by The Stun.
You’ve always struck me as more of a Mirror person 
It appears as a more clearly labeled spoof here, 2 days earlier than the Sun:
Although, you have to give the Sun credit for their headline.
Here’s your handy guide to the readers of British press:
This is a total hijack, but can you translate that in a bit more detail for this clueless but interested Yank? I mean, I usually go to the BBC or the Economist for world news, and pick up some of the bigger domestic British news along the way, but I hardly have a clue what all’s being referenced in the quote.
Though I have caught on that the Sun is a junky tabloid, with plenty of gratuitous tits to maintain it’s readership…
It’s a very well known quote from a British sitcom called “Yes Minister” (and subsequently “Yes Prime Minister”) that is about the UK civil service… Well worth watching.
The biases have changed very little since then, even though it must be 25 years ago now; in fact the only thing I would mention since you mention the beeb is that around that time old Dennis was saying the BBC (not mentioned there) was full of “bloody poofs and trots”… that hasn’t changed much 
Whatever happened to writing on the dudes face with a sharpie?
Oh, and back to the topic, the story as told seems vaguely plausible to me. At least if you don’t want to take the “devoured” part at face value. A small puncture in the intestines can be fatal, especially if it isn’t treated promptly.
The original source labels the story as fictitious. As far as vaguely plausible, if an eel got in there I suppose it could do some damage. But I seriously doubt that you could get a live foot-long eel into a passed-out guy’s rectum. I would think that he’d have to be conscious and cooperative. Eager, even.
It’s not completely certain that it is labelled as fictious actually… I don’t speak any Chinese but this apparently is the original: 黄鳝钻进体内咬穿直肠 男子险丢性命——中新网
Google translate does enough of a translation of it to suggest that it is being reported as truthful in China.
Aha. The original original. Judging from the poor translation, it appears he survived, and the cirumstances are not described in such detail, though it does appear that alcohol was involved. So the article linked above in TheSpoof may have been a fictionalized account of a real event, rather than made up of whole cloth.
Keep in mind that Chinese newspapers have stolen news stories from the Onion, marketed them as truth, and gave no attribution.
In fact, it’s funny you mention that, because there is visual confirmation of this claim online, although it’s unclear how vibrant the eels are afterward. If you have an iron stomach and are not easily disturbed, search around online for ‘Eel Girl.’ This is your one and only warning!
I have nothing of note to add, but I did wish to share that I originally read the thread title as referencing a “story about an eel devouring a man’s internets”.
The resulting mental image was far less gruesome, but in many ways, equally compelling.
Just wait till you see what a few of 'em can do to the insides of a hovercraft.
Perhaps later.
By which I mean; I hope to die first.
Eels are wimpy. Now imagine an “eel” that is mostly blind, has no bones, covered in slime, and can willingly eat animals from the inside out.
And there is always the nasal leech.