Australian police found the remains of a 12-year-old girl on Thursday after she was reportedly snatched by a crocodile while she was swimming in a creek in a remote location.
According to the Associated Press, the girl’s remains were discovered in the river system located near the place where the 12-year-old disappeared in the Indigenous Palumpa community, which is south of Australia’s Northern Territory capital.
The Associated Press reported that Police Senior Sgt. Erica Gibson confirmed that the girl’s injuries indicated that she was killed in a crocodile attack.
Describing the search operation for the 12-year-old girl, Gibson said, “It was an extremely difficult, essentially 36 hours, difficult for the first responders involved in the search.”
The Associated Press confirmed that the 12-year-old girl’s disappearance in Australia resulted in a 36-hour search by land, water, and air.
After the remains were discovered, Gibson announced, “The recovery has been made. It was particularly gruesome and a sad, devastating outcome.”
READ MORE: Video/pics: Shark attacks 4 swimmers on 4th of July
Gibson added, “However, for the family, it is the most devastating outcome possible for them. They are in a state of extreme shock and disbelief.”
The police sergeant explained that authorities were still attempting to trap the crocodile believed to be responsible for the girl’s death. According to The Associated Press, the crocodile will likely remain near the location of the attack, as saltwater crocodiles are territorial.
The Associated Press reported that the saltwater crocodile population has significantly increased throughout the tropical climate of the Northern Territory since the country designated crocodiles as a protected species in 1970. Additionally, since saltwater crocodiles can live up to 70 years and can continue to grow as long as 23 feet, the number of large crocodiles in Australia continues to rise.
According to The Associated Press, crocodiles are designated as a risk in most waterways across Australia’s Northern Territory.
