Sydney

Remains of an Australian man who went missing while fishing with his family have been found inside a crocodile, police said on Tuesday (Aug 6). The 40-year-old man was reportedly taken by the crocodile in front of his family while on vacation after he reportedly fell into the Annan River south of Cooktown in Queensland. 

Wildlife rangers killed the crocodile and upon examination, human remains were found inside the 4.9-foot reptile. The crocodile had scars on its snout, similar to what witnesses had described near the place where the man had disappeared, according to officials. 

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"I believe it was an accident when he fell into the water,"  Shane Holmes, a local police official had said on Monday.

Snatched in front of wife and kids

According to reports, the man from New South Wales was snatched in front of his wife and kid by the crocodile this past weekend when fishing in north Queensland, a tropical region whose rivers and creeks are home to several of these reptiles. The incident happened at Crocodile Bend, a touristy spot famous for its large crocodiles. 

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Earlier, footage had emerged from around the same area, showing people feeding fish to a crocodile. It is illegal to feed crocodiles found in natural habitats in Australia.

Fatal crocodile attacks on humans in Australia

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This is the second crocodile attack in less than a month, and the third this year. On July 2, a 12-year-old girl went missing while swimming with family in a creek in Northern Territory. Her remains were found inside a 4.2-metre crocodile that the authorities had killed. On April 18, a 16-year old boy was killed by a crocodile in Queensland island.

While crocodiles are considered not harmful to humans, their behaviour can be unpredictable. They usually hide near the banks of rivers and creeks, and pounce on the prey that appear near them on land, or enter the waters.

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The Queensland area, with its tropical climate, has seen a growth in crocodile population. Part of the reason is tourist interest and the practice of people feeding them fish in large quantities.

(With inputs from agencies)