The search for a missing 12-year-old who witnesses say was attacked by a crocodile in a remote Australian community has entered a “recovery phase”. according to the BBC.
The unidentified child was swimming in a creek in Nganmarriyanga, a small town in Australia's Northern Territory, at sunset, a message on social media from the regional emergency service. The remote community is home to just over 360 people and is about a seven-hour drive from the city of Darwin, the BBC reported.
Initial reports indicated the child was attacked by a crocodile, the agency said.
Northern Territory police, fire and emergency services said police and community members immediately began searching for the child. A search and rescue team has also been deployed and continues to search the area. Emergency services did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CBS News.
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On Wednesday morning, Northern Territory Police Minister Brent Potter told media, including the BBC, that the operation was in a “recovery phase”.
“It is a tragedy for any parent or family member to lose a young child, and especially in such circumstances, when it is taken by a crocodile,” he told reporters.
According to Potter, wildlife managers have the authority to “remove” the crocodile if they find it.
Crocodile attacks are rare, according to the BBC, but the region is home to about 100,000 saltwater crocodiles, more than anywhere else in the world. There have been two attacks in the region in the past year — one in January 2024 and one in October 2023 — but neither was fatal. The last fatal attack in the Northern Territory was in 2018, according to the BBC. Potter said the incident serves as a reminder to stay safe in a habitat of crocodile.
“We live in a place where crocodiles are taking over our water spots… it's just a reminder to stay out of the water as much as possible,” Potter said.
