Crocodile kills partygoer in danger river

The man, 26, was celebrating a friend’s 30th birthday on Saturday at the Mary River Wilderness Retreat, an Outback tourist destination 70 miles southeast of the Northern Territory capital Darwin, the victim’s hometown, Senior Sgt Geoff Bahnert said.

The victim and another man had swam across the river. The pair were swimming back when the crocodile attacked, he said.

“Several of the group in the party witnessed the male being taken in the jaws of the crocodile for a period of time, and then he was out of sight,” Mr Bahnert said.

“The Mary River is known worldwide to have the greatest saturation of adult saltwater crocodiles in the world. You don’t swim in the Mary River,” he said.

Alcohol may have played a part in the decision to swim, he said.

Police and a government crocodile management team arrived at the resort late on Saturday, and an officer shot one of the largest crocodiles found in the area for the safety of searchers, he said.