Remains of missing 12-year-old child found after suspected crocodile attack

Australian police found remains of a 12-year-old attacked by a crocodile at Mango Creek, Palumpa during a holiday visit. Senior Sergeant Erica Gibson expressed sorrow. A black crocodile was seen. NT has over 100,000 crocodiles. A 2013 incident involved a 4.5-meter crocodile; in 2017, one man survived a non-fatal attack. Recently, a menacing crocodile was shot, cooked, and eaten.

Australian police on Thursday said that they have found remains believed to be those of a missing 12-year-old child, reportedly attacked by a crocodile in Northern Territory . The child was last seen on Tuesday evening while swimming in Mango Creek near Palumpa , a remote settlement about seven hours' drive from Darwin, the capital of Australia's Northern Territory. Northern Territory police confirmed the discovery and said that, "Initial reports stated the child had been attacked by a crocodile." The remains were found after an extensive search of the creek. Senior Sergeant Erica Gibson expressed the community's sorrow, saying, "This is devastating news for the family, the community, and everyone involved in the search." The child and family were visiting the creek for holidays when the incident occurred. Witnesses reported seeing a black crocodile in the immediate area, according to police statements to ABC Radio. Crocodile attacks in the Northern Territory, which has over 1,00,000 crocodiles, are rare but not unheard of. The region's crocodiles can grow up to 6 meters (20 feet) long. In 2013, a 4.5-meter (15-foot) crocodile was shot after stalking locals near Palumpa. The Northern Territory police have expressed their condolences to the affected family and community, emphasizing the rarity yet the severity of such incidents. In 2017, a man survived a non-fatal crocodile attack in the same area. Earlier this year, another crocodile was shot, cooked, and eaten after menacing a different Northern Territory community.