Tourists See Man Killed By Crocodile

Sydney Morning Herald

Wednesday March 18, 1987

DARWIN: Horrified tourists watched helplessly yesterday as a large crocodile - a local tourist attraction - killed a fisherman at the East Alligator River on the border between Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land.

A Jabiru man, 40, was taken by the crocodile at about 1.30 pm when he slipped into deep water while fishing from a road crossing.

A tour group watched the attack from the park side of the crossing, while a number of other witnesses saw the attack from the Arnhem Land side.

National Parks and Wildlife Service rangers later shot the crocodile downstream. The body was recovered but his name has not been released.

The parks service NT director, Dan Gillespie, said the man had been fishing at Cahill's Crossing. He had been wading across in thigh-deep water when the crocodile was spotted swimming downstream.

He slipped or was swept off the crossing and began swimming as the crocodile passed him.

The animal then turned and attacked.

The crocodile was later shot dead and the body recovered.

© 1987 Sydney Morning Herald

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