Australian police have discovered human remains during their search for a 12-year-old child believed to have been attacked by a crocodile.
The child was last seen on Tuesday, swimming with family near Nganmarriyanga, a remote Aboriginal town located about seven hours southwest of Darwin in the Northern Territory (NT).
“This is devastating news for the family, the community, and everyone involved in the search,” said Senior Sgt Erica Gibson, adding that police would provide support to all affected.
Previously, Sgt Gibson informed ABC News that a black crocodile had been spotted in the vicinity.
Around 40 community members joined police in the search, which commenced shortly after the child was reported missing.
The search efforts included foot patrols, boats, and helicopters to navigate the challenging terrain filled with thick vegetation and a narrow, winding waterway.
No information was provided on whether the suspected crocodile had been found.
NT Police Minister Brent Potter stated earlier on Wednesday that wildlife officers had been authorized to “remove” the crocodile once located and reiterated the government’s safety warning.
“We live in a place where crocodiles occupy our water places… it’s just a reminder to stay out of the water as best we can.”
Saltwater crocodiles, found along Australia’s northern coast from Broome in Western Australia to Gladstone in Queensland, were nearly hunted to extinction but have rebounded since hunting was banned in the 1970s.
The NT now has an estimated 100,000 saltwater crocodiles, the highest population in the world, although attacks remain rare.
There have been at least two other crocodile attacks in the NT in the past year.
A nine-year-old boy was injured in January while swimming in Kakadu National Park, and a farmer escaped a crocodile’s jaws by biting it back in October.
The last fatal attack in the NT occurred in 2018. In Queensland, however, there have been several deadly attacks in recent years, including a 16-year-old boy killed in the Torres Strait in April.
Source-BBC
