Sydney, April 19: Police in the Torres Strait in Australia have verified that a teenager has died following a suspected crocodile attack off an island. Following reports of a missing 16-year-old male at around 4 am on Thursday, April 18, Island Water Police began a search and rescue operation near Saibai Island. According to Queensland police, the 13-year-old boy and the victim made an effort to swim from a capsized dinghy back to shore.

A representative of police verified that the victim’s body had been found on Thursday night. His injuries were indeed "consistent with a crocodile attack," as they have now verified, he said. Crocodile Attack in Australia: Teenager Fights Off Monster Reptile in Northern Territory.

In order to verify the identity of the body, the official identification procedure has started, and additional testing is being conducted to verify the cause of death. Wildlife inspectors will now investigate the seas near Saibai Island in an effort to find the crocodile in question, according to a representative for Queensland's Department of Environment, Science, and Innovation. Crocodile Attack in Australia: Female Zookeeper Mauled by Monster Reptile at Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin.

According to a department spokesman, "the local community has requested that the animal involved in the incident be removed from the wild." Initial probe suggests that the crocodile responsible for the attack on teenager is around 3.5 metres long. The youngster present along with the victim, however, survived the attack and reached safety.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 19, 2024 12:20 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).