A desperate search is underway in northern Australia for a boy suspected to have been taken away by a crocodile.
The 12-year-old was last seen swimming at dusk on Tuesday near the remote town of Palumpa, about seven hours’ drive southwest of Darwin in the Northern Territory (NT).
Police said a specialist search and rescue team had been deployed following “initial reports that the child had been attacked by a crocodile”.
There are an estimated 100,000 saltwater crocodiles in the Northern Territory, more than anywhere else in the world, but attacks are uncommon.
After the child went missing in Mango Creek at around 17:30 local time (08:00 GMT), community members in Palumpa (which has only 364 people) and local police immediately began searching for the child.
They have now been joined by more police officers and specialist search and rescue teams, who are scouring land and water for traces of the boy.
An aerial search may also be launched, local media reported.
“Officers are currently searching a large area of the creek by boat and we appreciate [the] We thank the community for their continued assistance,” Senior Sergeant Erica Gibson said in a statement.
“Local officials are on scene and our thoughts are with the family and community.”
