A 47-year-old man has been killed by a 3.5 metre crocodile after attempting to walk over a flooded river crossing.
The man was dragged under the water as he was wading through it at Cahill's Crossing near Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory, Australia, at 4pm on Thursday.
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The man was with two women, who are reported not to have seen the attack, but did raise the alarm. They are both reported to be safe and unharmed.
The man's body was found about two kilometres away near to the massive 3.5 metre crocodile, which officers had to shoot and kill before they could safely retrieve the man's body.
Police told The Daily Mail Australia that the unnamed man's injuries were consistent with being taken by a crocodile; his body is being examined to establish the cause of death.
Cahill's Crossing. Credit: YouTube/is1943
The 47-year-old man, who is thought to belong to the remote Gunbalanya community, walked across at a time when it was recommended that only 'high clearance four-wheel drive vehicles' should cross, ABC reports.
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The dangerous stretch of water has no footbridge, so people often risk it and wade through the water, despite the signs warning people to beware of the giant beasts that live in the water.
NT Police duty superintendent Bob Harrison told ABC: "Cahill's Crossing is notorious for crocodiles and to walk across it to me is just foolishness."
The area is a well-known home to saltwater crocodiles, with some estimates claiming there are more than 20 crocodiles living in the water.
Credit: PA
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The parks and wildlife commission NT crocodile management chief ranger Tom Nichols told News.com.au: "People just need to be aware this time of year. They know better. They know crocodiles are in that area but people do silly things unfortunately.
"We get tired of saying it, it is just another timely reminder that people just have to be aware the river systems do contain crocodiles."
In 1987, 40-year-old Kerry McLoughlin was killed at Cahill's Crossing when he was out fishing with his son. He was brutally decapitated by a 5.1 metre crocodile after falling into the water.
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Dozens of others have found themselves stranded at the stretch of water.
So, how dangerous are crocodiles?
Of the 23 species of crocodile, only six are considered dangerous to humans, and of those, only crocodiles two metres in length or more are thought to be a serious danger to humans; although even small crocodiles can still give a nasty bite, that would require stitches or even surgery.
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Despite there only being six danger species attacks are reasonably common; although not always fatal.
As you would expect, in areas where people live near to crocodiles, like Cahill's Crossing, attacks are more common.
There have been 23 fatal and 50 non-fatal attacks since
1971, in the Northern Territory, Australia alone.
A saltwater crocodile. Credit: PA
Saltwater crocodiles, like the type that is believed to have killed the man at Cahill's Crossing last week, are particularly well-known for attacking people in Australia, New Guinea, Borneo, Southeast Asia and the Solomon Islands.
One study found that saltwater crocodiles are responsible for around 30 attacks a year, of these half are fatal.
Nile crocodiles, which mainly live in places that are heavily populated, are responsible for hundreds (some studies think it could even be thousands) of deaths each year in sub-Saharan Africa, making it a bigger killer than all the crocodile species combined.
Source: Daily Mail, ABC News, News.com, and Crocodile Specialist Group
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Australia