A crocodile attack in the Northern Territory has resulted in the death of a 75-year-old man and left his companion fighting for his life for three hours. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon at Leaders Creek, approximately 40km from Darwin, when a crocodile overturned the men's small aluminium boat, known as a tinny.
Noel Ramage drowned after the boat capsized, while his 72-year-old friend managed to survive by throwing spanners and spark plugs at approaching crocodiles. He became trapped in muddy mangroves before being rescued and taken to hospital suffering from shock. He has since been released, and Mr Ramage's body has been recovered.
Adam Britton, a crocodile researcher at Charles Darwin University, described the attack as extremely unusual. He suggested that the crocodile may have been attracted by the men's crab pots, and that panic could have caused the boat to capsize. Britton emphasised the need for authorities to remind people about the safety of boats in crocodile-infested waters, advising extreme caution when using small, unstable tinnies.
Despite the rarity of such an event, Britton noted that rangers may consider capturing and removing the crocodile from the area. He explained that identifying the responsible animal can be challenging, as crocodiles do not display obvious guilt. However, those that exhibit bold and cheeky behaviour around humans are likely candidates for removal.
