Human remains of a 12-year-old girl who was attacked by a crocodile while swimming in a remote creek have been discovered by police. The child who has not been named went missing around 5.30pm local time on Tuesday while swimming in Mango Creek, near Palumpa—a secluded town approximately seven hours by road from Darwin, the capital of Australia’s Northern Territory.
Senior Sergeant Erica Gibson of the Northern Territory Police confirmed that the girl’s injuries were consistent with a crocodile attack. The victim was on holiday with her family when they visited Nganmarriyanga, an Aboriginal community in the Daly River region, according to NT News. Authorities received reports of a black crocodile in the immediate vicinity, as relayed by ABC Radio.
In a statement released at noon on Thursday, Senior Sergeant Gibson expressed the devastating impact of the incident on the family, community, and all involved in the search. The recovery process was described as “particularly gruesome” and resulted in a tragic outcome.
