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Crocodile attack: MP blames 'human stupidity' as woman is taken during late night beach swim | Crocodile attack: MP blames 'human stupidity' as woman is taken during late night beach swim |
(about 9 hours later) | |
A woman has gone missing after being attacked by a crocodile during a late night swim with a friend just off an Australian beach. | A woman has gone missing after being attacked by a crocodile during a late night swim with a friend just off an Australian beach. |
Cindy Waldron, 46, from from Lithgow in New South Wales was swimming in waist-deep water around 10:30pm when she was attacked when she was attacked. | |
The incident occured just off Thornton Beach in Daintree National Park in Queensland - where there are many crocodile tours in operation. | |
Police say the missing woman's friend, aged 47, tried to grab her and drag her to safety but wasn't able to do so. | |
Not being locals, the women might not have known the beach was a crocodile habitat, police have suggested. | |
Local Queensland representative, Warren Entsch, said the pair must have seen the many crocodile warning signs in the region. | Local Queensland representative, Warren Entsch, said the pair must have seen the many crocodile warning signs in the region. |
He added: "You can't legislate against human stupidity, If you go in swimming at 10 o'clock at night, you're going to get consumed." | He added: "You can't legislate against human stupidity, If you go in swimming at 10 o'clock at night, you're going to get consumed." |
A rescue helicopter using thermal imaging equipment failed to find any trace of Ms Waldron on the night of her disappearance. | |
The search has since been resumed with a helicopter, boat and land-based teams. | |
The survivor, from Cairns, 58 miles south of Thornton Beach, was taken to a hospital suffering from shock and a graze to her arm inflicted as the crocodile brushed against her. | The survivor, from Cairns, 58 miles south of Thornton Beach, was taken to a hospital suffering from shock and a graze to her arm inflicted as the crocodile brushed against her. |
Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman Neil Noble said: "The report that we have from the surviving woman is that they felt a nudge and her partner started to scream and then was dragged into the water." | Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman Neil Noble said: "The report that we have from the surviving woman is that they felt a nudge and her partner started to scream and then was dragged into the water." |
The attack occurred near where a five-year-old boy was taken and killed by a 14ft crocodile from a swamp in 2009 and a 43-year-old woman was killed by a 16ft crocodile while swimming in a creek in 1985. | The attack occurred near where a five-year-old boy was taken and killed by a 14ft crocodile from a swamp in 2009 and a 43-year-old woman was killed by a 16ft crocodile while swimming in a creek in 1985. |
Darwin-based expert Grahame Webb said while most crocodiles were found in rivers, swamps and other protected waterways - open beaches in northern Australia were not safe. | Darwin-based expert Grahame Webb said while most crocodiles were found in rivers, swamps and other protected waterways - open beaches in northern Australia were not safe. |
He said: "There've been quite a lot of attacks off beaches and off coral reefs where people are snorkelling." | He said: "There've been quite a lot of attacks off beaches and off coral reefs where people are snorkelling." |
Crocodile numbers have boomed across Australia's northern tropics since they became a protected species in 1971, and they pose an increasing threat to humans. | Crocodile numbers have boomed across Australia's northern tropics since they became a protected species in 1971, and they pose an increasing threat to humans. |
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