Human remains have been found during the search for a 12-year-old girl who went missing near a remote community in the Northern Territory on Tuesday following a suspected crocodile attack.
Sky News host James Macpherson discusses the saltwater crocodile problem in the Northern Territory.
The Northern Territory is unveiling a new plan to manage saltwater crocodile populations, which aims to cull 1,200 crocs annually for the next decade.
“For every one crocodile there are 2.5 people,” he said
“I don’t think it will be controversial for anyone but a glad bag of greens.”
“The Indigenous community in the Northern Territory is behind the culling because it is worth millions of dollars to the community”.”
Police confirmed the sad news in a media statement released just before 12pm on Thursday.
“This is devastating news for the family, the community and everyone involved in the search,” Senior Sergeant Erica Gibson said.
Local authorities have been searching the area to find the missing child. Picture: Supplied / NT Police
“Police are providing support to the family and community, along with the first responders who attended the scene.”
The 12-year-old girl was first reported missing on Tuesday about 5:30pm after she was last seen swimming at Mango Creek, near the community of Palumpa, some 350 kilometres south-west of Darwin.
Initial reports suggested the child had been attacked by a crocodile.
A search and rescue team was deployed to the area and community members worked alongside Peppimenarti Police to scour the area.
Officers from the nearby town of Wadeye were also sent to assist in the search efforts.
Sky News host Caleb Bond discusses the uses of crocodile products after the Northern Territory proposes a croc cull.
The Northern Territory has unveiled a new plan to manage saltwater crocodile populations, culling 1,200 crocs per year for the next decade.
“I’ll be getting myself a pair of crocodile boots”, Mr Bond said.
“Have either of you eaten crocodile; I have – it’s delicious.”
“So, the more crocs they can kill so I can eat more, the better, I reckon”.
The territory’s Police Minister Brent Potter on late Wednesday afternoon flagged the search had likely shifted into a “recovery stage”.
“They do an amazing piece of work, those officers are also divers and they do go into croc-infested waters as required,” he said, as reported by NT News.
“It’s probably safe to say we’re in the recovery stage.”
It is understood the team had been authorised to “remove the crocodile from the area” so the search could continue safely.
Senior Sergeant Erica Gibson told ABC Radio Darwin on Thursday morning the missing child and her family had been swimming in the creek together.
“The child disappeared and they notified other family who were able to notify and contact police,” she said.
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“It is just simply a really tragic event not only for the family but for all responding frontline police officers who were there assisting the family.”
She said the local community was “extremely distressed” by the incident, with many members assisting police by conducting a foot search along the banks of the creek and in the surrounding area.
“Throughout the night, croc-spotting occurred with the croc management team,” Sergeant Gibson said.
“No crocodiles were sighted or located in the immediate area that croc-searching has occurred since sunset yesterday – there were no sightings overnight.”