Police have announced human remains, believed to be those of the 40-year-old man attacked by a saltwater crocodile in the Annan River on 3 August, have been found inside the 4.9-metre animal euthanised by rangers on Monday afternoon. Photo: Queensland Police Service.
Human remains have been located inside the 4.9-metre crocodile believed to be responsible for the fatal attack on a 40-year-old New South Wales tourist near Cooktown on 3 August.
On Tuesday morning, the Queensland Police Service advised it would prepare a report for the coroner following the discovery.
“A formal identification process is under way, however, it is believed the remains are those of a missing 40-year-old New South Wales man,” police said in a statement.
“Further testing will be conducted to determine a positive identity.”
It comes after Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI) wildlife officers euthanised the reptile on 5 August after an intensive three-day search for it and the man.
The crocodile was located in a small creek during a helicopter search about four kilometres upstream from Crocodile Bend, where the attack occurred on the Annan River at about 2:10pm on Saturday.
The Cape York Weekly understands the man slipped down the steep bank of the river at the well-known crocodile spotting location, approximately seven kilometres south of Cooktown, while fishing.
The crocodile attacked the man in front of his family, including children, as he attempted to get out of the water.
At a press conference on Monday afternoon, DESI senior conservation officer Daniel Guymer criticised video footage circulating on social media showing fish frames being thrown to a large crocodile in the same location the man was attacked.
“The Department of Environment, Science and Innovation is aware of the video circulating social media of potentially some individuals feeding crocodiles at a location which appears to be consistent with the location of interest here,” he told journalists.
“It is of course very, very concerning behaviour; it’s very risky and it’s very reckless, and it is actually an offence.”
The current penalty for deliberately feeding a crocodile is $6,452.
Police have still not confirmed where in NSW the man and family are from, but said on 6 August the “search and rescue operation has been suspended”.
Fantastic, so glad for those who actually have mobile coverage. Some of us only 20km out of town… View