Crocodile Believed to Have Killed 12-Year-Old Boy in Australia

Police officers and wildlife rangers are now busy combing through the Kakadu National Park in Australia's Northern Territory. They are looking for a 12-year-old boy that went missing this past Sunday, and who might have been killed by a crocodile in the area.

Information shared with the public says that, at the time when he disappeared, the boy was swimming in a local billabong, i.e. a dead-end channel extending from the main stream of a river, together with some of his friends.

One other 12-year-old boy who was also part of this group is said to have been bitten on the arm by a crocodile. Unlike the child that went missing, this one managed to get away from the animal.

“It is believed the 12-year-old boy was taken by a crocodile as he and a number of other young boys were swimming in the billabong,” acting commander Michael White of the northern command said in a statement.

“One other boy, also aged 12, was bitten on the arm by the crocodile and has received medical treatment from attending St John Ambulance members,” he added.

While searching for the missing boy, authorities and rangers managed to track down two reptiles. They killed them both, cut open their stomachs and checked to see what their last meal had been.

However, it would appear that none of these two crocodiles had human remains inside them, The Guardian reports.

Hoping to get a better idea of what kind of animal might be to blame for the boy's disappearance, authorities called in experts and asked them to analyze the bite mark visible on the arm of the friend that got away.

It is believed that this will help them determine the size of the crocodile responsible for the attack on the group of boys, the same source details.

At first, the police officers and the park rangers settled for exploring the area on foot and by boat. However, starting Monday, helicopters were called in and asked to assist.

“Police and park rangers are currently conducting searches by boat and land and will continue into the night,” acting commander Michael White told the press.