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Police Believe Human Remains Discovered Inside Crocodile Are That Of Missing Tourist, Authorities Say

Crocodile_portrait_in_the_pond,_Dubai_Crocodile_Park_,_UAE

Image not from story: Wikimedia Commons/Public/Tashmetova808, CC BY-SA 4.0

Fiona McLoughlin Contributor
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Human remains discovered inside a crocodile are believed to be those of a 40-year-old tourist who disappeared Saturday, Australian officials said Tuesday.

Dave Hogbin, a doctor from Newcastle in New South Wales, was traveling with his wife Jane Hogbin and their three sons when he fell into a steep bank and disappeared, according to The Associated Press (AP).

The area, known as Crocodile Bend, is a popular tourist attraction due to the large reptiles in the region, The AP noted.

Wildlife officials euthanized a 16-foot crocodile Monday found in a creek about 2.5 miles from where Hogbin went missing, the outlet reported. The predator was found with scars on its snout and was similar to what a witness had described in the area where Hogbin disappeared, officials said.

The remains are believed to be the missing tourist. Additional testing, however, is needed to positively identify them, The AP reported, citing a local police statement. (RELATED: REPORT: 200 Crocodiles Flood City Streets Following Storm Beryl).

A GoFundMe created for the family says Hogbin slipped into the bank, and his wife Jane attempted to pull him out.

“Due to the steepness and slipperiness of the bank, Jane was able to grab his arm but began slipping into the river herself,” the fundraiser states. “Dave’s final, decisive act was to let go of Jane’s arm when he realised she was slipping in, an act that likely saved her life.”

“He saved me – his last act was to not pull me in with him. I’m glad I’m still here because it could have been a millionfold worse for everyone involved, not just the boys,”  Jane said, according to The AP.

None of Hogbin’s children witnessed the event unfold, the GoFundMe states.

In Australia, there have been three fatal crocodile incidents in 2024, The AP reported. A crocodile snatched a 12-year-old girl July 2 while she was swimming with family. A 16-year-old boy was also a victim of an attack while swimming April 18,.