A 16-year-old boy, Edward Baidham Morrison Warusam, died tragically in a suspected crocodile attack near Saibai Island, Torres Strait, Australia. 

Police recovered the teen’s body with severe injuries on Thursday afternoon, April 18, following a search and rescue operation initiated earlier that day.

The incident took place after the vessel Baidham and his 13-year-old cousin were in experienced engine trouble. Stranded approximately a third of a mile from the shore, they decided to swim to land. The younger boy managed to reach the shore unharmed and alerted authorities, but his older cousin disappeared in the waist-deep water.

In response to the emergency, local law enforcement partnered with the Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation to conduct aerial and water patrols. They aimed to locate the predator, believed to be a saltwater crocodile measuring about 11.5 feet. The search ended later that day with the grim finding of the teenager’s body among the mangroves.

“This has been a deeply distressing incident,” stated Senior Sergeant Greg Giles. He affirmed that the teenager’s injuries were consistent with a substantial crocodile attack. Giles underscored the threat large crocodiles present to communities living close to their natural habitats.

In the wake of the incident, the local community, still in shock, requested the removal of the crocodile suspected to be the one involved in the fatal attack. Wildlife officers started thorough examinations of the local waters to ascertain community safety and address residents’ concerns and a representative of the local government announced that they were taking immediate action to locate and potentially capture the involved crocodile. “Ensuring the safety of our community members is our highest priority, especially following such a significant and sorrowful event,” they stated.

On April 20 the crocodile was found and humanely euthanized.

Officials have started the formal identification process for the deceased, with further tests in progress to definitively ascertain the cause of death. A GoFundMe account was set up by Kemana Kusu, Baidham’s mother, a single mother of nine. $14,000 had been raised as of April 22.

This occurrence has increased awareness of the dangers associated with the region’s fauna, leading to discussions about improved safety precautions for both residents and visitors of the Torres Strait Islands.