Foreign Affairs

The tragic epilogue of a fishing trip

A fisherman devoured by a crocodile who disappeared in Australia

The remains of the man found inside one of the animals shot down by the rangers. Queensland "is crocodile country," says Michael Joyce, the region's wildlife manager.

03/05/2023

ABC via Reuters

The remains of Kevin Darmody, 65, the man who disappeared during a fishing trip in crocodile-infested waters in Queensland, Australia, were found inside one of two crocodiles, one more than four meters long and the other almost three, later shot down by Australian rangers.

Police provided details of the macabre story. On Saturday, he joined a group of local fishermen in Queensland's far north.

Before starting the fishing trip, the group drove away a crocodile. The other fishermen said they did not witness the attack but heard the man "screaming, shouting loudly, and then a large spray of water".

On Monday, rangers shot dead two crocodiles about a mile away from Kennedy Bend, inside Lakefield National Park where Mr. Darmody, who was an experienced fisherman, had disappeared.

A "tragic ending", said Mark Henderson, the Cairns police inspector. Forensic examinations on the two reptiles "identified, unfortunately, the remains of the missing man". According to police, both crocodiles attacked Mr. Darmody, but the remains were found in only one of them.

Crocodiles are common in the tropical north of Australia although attacks are quite rare. This incident is the thirteenth deadly attack in Queensland since 1985.

Since hunting was banned in 1974, Queensland's crocodile population has grown from around 5,000 animals to around 30,000 today.

Queensland "is crocodile country," says Michael Joyce, the region's wildlife manager. "If you're on the water and especially if you're in Lakefield, which is specifically designated as (site for) crocodile protection, you should expect to see crocodiles in those waters."