A 36-year-old man who was attacked by a crocodile while spearfishing in Queensland is "extremely lucky" to be alive, a paramedic says.
Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) said the croc bit the man three times at Archer Point, 16 kilometres south-east of Cooktown, on Saturday.
"[It] dragged him to the bottom, where he has managed to stick his fingers in the crocodile's eyes multiple times and escape before swimming towards the shore," QAS said in a statement.
Critical care flight paramedic Valerie Noble said the man had multiple fractures and puncture wounds.
"He has tried to fend off [the crocodile] with his spear gun unsuccessfully," she said.
"He's an extremely lucky man.
"Not many people would live to tell the story like that."
The man was one of a party of seven who were fishing without a boat.
He swam to shore and scrambled up rocks to raise the alarm.
After the bleeding was stopped by paramedics he was winched onto a helicopter and flown to hospital.
Rangers have covered several kilometres in the area with spotlight searches since Sunday, but are yet to find the animal.
It is the third crocodile attack in Queensland in as many months.
'Russian roulette'
Cairns spear-fisher Shaun Hartley said he had seen crocs beneath him on the reef.
"Generally, they aren't that interested in chasing you to the surface and taking a bite — but you never want to take that risk," he said.
"If you don't have a boat, you're playing a bit of Russian roulette."
Mr Hartley said a spotter on the boat was paramount to avoiding crocodile encounters.
"I may have had one or two myself," he said.
But Mr Hartley was undeterred.
"Spearfishing is a lot of fun," he said.
"It's a great way to get some exercise and escape the heat."
'Should've known better'
Department of Environment and Science incident controller Dayna Adams said wildlife officers, Yuku Baja Muliku rangers, and traditional owners were still searching for the crocodile and investigating after interviewing the victim.
"We've seen almost no crocodiles at all in the area," she said.
No decision has been made on the fate of the animal, if it is found.
Cook Shire Mayor Peter Scott, who has been requenting the shallow, clear water at Archer Point for 30 years, said the man was a local.
"He should've known better," he said.
"If the crocs are around or if it's certain times of year when it's flooding or later in the evening, you'd never go swimming around there."
The man is recovering in Cairns Hospital.
