Northern Territory Police believe they have found the remains of a 12-year-old girl who has been missing for two days near the Aboriginal community of Palumpa (also known as Nganmarriyanga).
NT police said an extensive search effort was mounted to locate the child, who had been swimming in Mango Creek - 3km from Palumpa - when she disappeared at about 5:30 pm on Tuesday, allegedly having been attacked by a crocodile.
On Thursday, Senior Sergeant Erica Gibson said the girl was swimming as part of bush holiday in the Wadeye district.
"This is devastating news for the family, the community and everyone involved in the search," she said.
"Police are providing support to the family and community, along with the first responders who attended the scene."
She said police believed a crocodile was involved, and trapping would continue in Mango Creek.
"Investigations will continue, that's a long and protracted matter," Sen Sgt Gibson said.
"The search element will still continue insofar as the croc traps and monitoring the activities in the waterways."
Sen Sgt Gibson told ABC Radio on Thursday morning the girl had been with her family when the incident occurred on July 2.
"The child disappeared, and they notified other family who were able to notify and contact police," Sen Sgt Gibson said, noting the whole community was "extremely distressed".
"It is just simply a really tragic event not only for the family but for all responding frontline police officers who were there assisting the family," she said.
She said croc spotting took place throughout the night with a croc management team, however, "no crocodiles were sighted or located in the immediate area that croc-searching has occurred since sunset yesterday".
It is the first time someone in the NT has allegedly died from a crocodile attack since 2018, when a Yirralka ranger perished in the Gangan community, 200km south-west of Nhulunbuy.
The tragedy comes only months after a teenager died from a suspected Crocodile attack off Sabai Island in the Torres Strait.
