Tourist survives crocodile attack

A 51-year-old man is in hospital following reports of a crocodile attack in the Far North.

Authorities were scrambling on Saturday night to confirm that the Brisbane man had been attacked following reports of an incident while he was snorkelling with a tourist group near Cape Grenville.

The man was believed to have suffered a serious injury to his hand and cuts and bruises to his face, according to Channel 9 reports, while in the water about 28km east of Haggerstone Island.

The group were reportedly able to stop the bleeding and transport the man back to Haggerstone Island.

There he received treatment before being flown to Thursday Island by Retrieval Services Queensland, who had a Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service doctor on board.

Police, ambulance and the Department of Environment and Science were unable to confirm the attack on Saturday night, but the department was investigating, and a Queensland Health spokesman on Sunday said a 51-year-old man was in a stable condition at Thursday Island Hospital.

He was expected to be flown to Cairns by Royal Flying Doctor Service Sunday afternoon.

A Department of Environment and Science spokesman said Haggerstone Island was known croc country and it was important everyone practiced “crocwise” behaviour in those areas.

“Crocodiles in the open ocean can be difficult to locate as the animals often travel tens of kilometres per day,” the statement said. “We investigate all crocodile sighting reports that we receive.”

Haggerstone Island is an allinclusive boutique resort situated on the Great Barrier Reef in far north Queensland.

It is the third attack in North Queensland in just eight weeks – the others involving the deaths of a fisherman and a dog – renewing the debate over crocodile culling.