Witnesses said the 55-year-old was initially laughing, but the mood soon turned grim as he began drifting away in strong tidal currents, visibly struggling in the dark waters before he vanished
A body believed to be that of a man who jumped into crocodile-infested waters has been recovered following an extensive overnight search and rescue mission.
Local man Brendan, 55, was last seen around 9:42pm on Friday when he leapt from Channel Island Bridge into Darwin Harbour, northern Australia, while out with workmates. Witnesses said he was initially laughing but the mood turned grim as he began drifting away in strong tidal currents, visibly struggling in the dark waters. Despite his friends’ desperate attempts to call him back to shore, Brendan vanished from sight, swept towards Darwin City by the fast-moving tide.
A large-scale search operation was launched within minutes. NT Police’s Search and Rescue Section, the Port Authority, CareFlight, Surf Life Saving crews, NT Emergency Service volunteers, and crocodile management teams all joined forces in a race against time.
Two police vessels and helicopters scoured the waters, while officers and volunteers combed nearby coastline on foot.
After an exhaustive overnight effort, a body was spotted in the water near East Arm Wharf at around 11:30am on Saturday. NT Police said the body matched the description of the man last seen entering the water the night before. Formal identification is pending.
Darwin Harbour is known for dangerous currents and crocodile activity, and police have reminded the public of the risks involved in swimming or jumping into local waterways.
In March, an elderly man was found dead more than four days after going missing in crocodile-infested waters during a kayaking tour of the Kimberley – known for its towering rocks and dramatic gorges.
The 79-year-old man was in the Drysdale River National Park in Western Australia’s northwest and was a member of a group on a multi-day tour.
But he found himself in trouble at approximately 150km west of Wyndham on March 24 at around 1pm. The man’s friend, 59, quickly jumped in the water in a desperate bid to save him, but he was unable to due to the fast-flowing current and instead had to be rescued himself.
The missing man’s friend was found clinging onto a tree, surrounded by fast moving rapids 15 metres from shore. He was picked up from the water and did not require medical treatment, reports News.com.au.
The Drysdale River National Park is located is about 1,740 miles north of Perth and is inaccessible by road. Parks and Wildlife authorities recommend that people see the area from air and warn visitors that saltwater crocodiles are common and move around the isolated national park.
Their website states: “Extremely rugged and remote wilderness – untouched and amazing from the air. This park is isolated and the terrain is very rugged, you must be completely self sufficient and competent in undertaking extended walks. If you are unsure don’t swim, canoe or use small boats in waterways.”