Police search for child after suspected crocodile attack in Australia’s Northern Territory | World News

Police boats are searching for the child in a creek and officers say their condolences are with the family. Local media reports that the search is now focused on recovering a body.

Australian police are searching for a 12-year-old child who was allegedly attacked by a crocodile while swimming.

The alert was raised on Tuesday evening in Palumpa, a remote town in the Northern Territory, about a seven-hour drive from Darwin.

Police said the child was last seen swimming in a stream and “initial reports are that the child was attacked by a crocodile.”

A search operation involving officials and residents has been launched. Local media reported that the focus is now on recovering a body.

Northern Territory Police Minister Brent Potter spoke to NT News about the search.

“They do an amazing job,” he told the newspaper. “These officers are also divers and, when necessary, go into waters infested with crocodiles.”

“It’s probably safe to say that we are in the recovery phase.”

“It is a tragic event for any parent or family member to lose a young child, especially in circumstances such as that in which he was taken by a crocodile,” he told reporters.

The NT News added that the unnamed child disappeared at around 5.30pm local time on Tuesday, shortly after swimming in Mango Creek.

“Local officials are on site and our thoughts are with the family and community,” said Sergeant Erica Gibson.

“Officers are currently searching a large section of the creek using boats and we thank the community for their continued support.”

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In the Northern Territory, an area more than six times the size of Great Britain, there are more than 100,000 crocodiles – some of them up to 6 m long.

However, fatal attacks on humans are relatively rare.