Young girl may have been taken by crocodile

POLICE searching for a missing girl in the Northern Territory have found what they believe to be human remains inside a crocodile.

The 7-year-old girl was swimming with other children and an adult at a waterhole at the Gumarrirnbang outstation, 100km west of the remote community of Maningrida, when a crocodile attacked on Friday afternoon.

She was last seen being dragged under the water by the reptile, which had also attacked the man who had been with her in the billabong.

A 3m crocodile was shot dead in the billabong just before noon yesterday, Senior Sergeant Shaun Gill of NT Police said.

When it was examined, they found what is thought to be human remains in its stomach contents.

‘‘Further forensic testing will be conducted in Darwin to determine if the remains are human and, if found human, the identity of the person,’’ Gill said. Police will prepare a report for the coroner. Members of the community had been searching for the girl from first light yesterday, joined by the Territory Response Group, the Water Police Section, and a ranger from the Crocodile Management Unit.

Gill said officers had worked under difficult conditions.

‘‘This is a heartbreaking outcome for the family and the community,’’ he said.

Crocodiles are not thought to have been seen in the area previously and the community believed the billabong to be safe.