For days, an intensive search was conducted in northern Australia for a missing child. Now there is a sad certainty: the twelve-year-old was, as feared, the victim of a terrible crocodile attack. Police call the discovery “extremely cruel, sad and devastating.”
The girl was on holiday with her family in the area near the Aboriginal community of Nganmarriyanga – about 360 kilometres south-west of Darwin. He was swimming with some family members in Mango Creek when he suddenly disappeared. A crocodile was reportedly spotted in the immediate area. Since then, an extensive search has been underway for the missing person.
Emergency services eventually discovered human remains in the water where the girl was last seen on Tuesday, police spokeswoman Erica Gibson confirmed. “The rescue has taken place,” she told Australian broadcaster ABC.
T-shirt found in river hours earlier
Gibson said the remains found were consistent with a crocodile attack. “It has been an extremely difficult 36 hours for the rescuers involved in the search,” she said. The family is “in a state of extreme shock and disbelief.” The tragedy is a stark reminder that crocodiles could always be in the waters of the Northern Territory.
Hours earlier, officers had found the girl’s T-shirt. The garment was discovered upriver from where the child was last seen. Emergency services were deployed with boats and a helicopter. Police Minister Brent Potter had already said on Wednesday that there was no hope of finding the girl alive.
Fatal crocodile attacks occur time and again
According to government figures, more than 100,000 saltwater crocodiles live in the Northern Territory – more than in any other state in Australia. The animals, which grow up to six metres long and are also known as ‘salties’, are considered extremely aggressive. Freshwater crocodiles also live in the area, but these are less dangerous. On average, there are two fatal crocodile attacks a year across the country. In June, members of an Aboriginal community in the region shot and ate a ‘problem crocodile’ that had repeatedly approached animals and people.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
