Search with drones 40-year-old father disappeared while fishing - crocodile attack feared

dpa

4.8.2024 - 18:06

A crocodile swims in the Adelaide River in Australia's Northern Territory (symbolic image).
A crocodile swims in the Adelaide River in Australia's Northern Territory (symbolic image).
Carola Frentzen/dpa

The family is traveling through Australia in their caravan. They stop at a river, the father is fishing, the wife and children are nearby. Suddenly the man disappears. Has a crocodile killed him?

No time? blue News summarizes for you

  • A major search operation is underway in Australia for a 40-year-old man who is believed to have been attacked by a crocodile while fishing.
  • The man was with his family on the banks of the Annan River when he fell into the water and did not resurface; rescuers have been searching for him since Saturday using drones.
  • A large crocodile has been spotted in the area and Australian media fear the man is dead. On average, there are two fatal crocodile attacks per year in Australia.

A major search operation is underway in Australia following a suspected crocodile attack on a 40-year-old man.

According to local media reports, the missing man was attacked by the reptile while fishing. Rescue workers have been deployed in the north of the tropical state of Queensland since Saturday to search for the 40-year-old, police said. "Initial investigations revealed that the man had been fishing on the riverbank when he fell into the water and did not resurface," a police statement said.

According to reports, the man was with his wife and children on the banks of the Annan River, which is popular with anglers. The family from the neighboring state of New South Wales had been passing through in a caravan. "My condolences go out to the family, who are obviously traumatized at the moment," the 7News channel quoted investigator Greg Finucane as saying.

Drones are being used to search for the 40-year-old

A large crocodile had been spotted in the area. Australian media fear that the man is dead. The authorities are using drones in the search, it was reported. The aim is to catch the animal.

It was only in July that a fatal crocodile attack on a twelve-year-old girl occurred in Australia. Rangers later killed a 4.2 meter long reptile in the Northern Territory. The child had been swimming near the Aboriginal community of Nganmarriyanga before disappearing. Emergency services later discovered the girl's remains. On average, there are two fatal crocodile attacks per year in Australia.


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