The wife of a man who was killed by a 4.9-metre crocodile in far north Queensland has said his last act was to save her life and stop her from being pulled into the water too.
Human remains were located inside a crocodile at Cooktown in an extensive search for a man who went missing at the weekend. Queensland police said a formal identification process was under way and a report would be prepared for the coroner, but the remains were believed to be those of a missing 40-year-old New South Wales man.
The man’s sister-in-law Alexis Carey identified him on news.com.au as Dave Hogbin, a father of three who worked as a doctor in Newcastle.
She said he was not fishing at the time he was taken but was walking along an “established” path on a 5m high riverbank at Annan River Bridge on Saturday afternoon. It was believed part of the bank gave way, she said, perhaps due to rainfall.
Hogbin fell into the river, with his wife, Jane, sliding down as well, desperate to save him. But he let go of her arm when he realised she was also falling in, the news.com report said.
He was reportedly taken by the crocodile soon after letting go.
Jane told news.com.au he “wasn’t doing anything wrong” and that the whole episode had lasted only “30 seconds”.
“We were just enjoying a standard day of our holiday and everything just changed within 30 seconds,” she said. “He wasn’t doing anything wrong – in fact, he was doing everything right, and this still happened. Things can change so quickly in an instant despite doing everything right.”
“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.”
“Dave was just the most calming, grounding person to have around in a crisis, and he was so loving, thoughtful, handsome, fiercely loyal and protective, and intelligent.”
Police have been working with wildlife officers as investigations continue. A report will be prepared for the coroner.
A GoFundMe page has been launched by friends of the family to support them, with a friend, Alex Ward, writing that Hogbin had been “having an incredible time” on holiday.
“Dave was having an incredible time on a 4WD and camping trip in far north Queensland with his wife, Jane, his three beautiful boys and Jane’s family,” he wrote.
“One small consolation is that none of Dave’s children witnessed this event.”
The GoFundMe had raised more than $10,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.
Wildlife officers began surveying crocodiles in the area after revealing on Monday the “target animal” had a distinctive marking.
“There have been some suggestions that the crocodile may have a white scar on its snout,” the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation’s Daniel Guymer told reporters.
Hours later rangers confirmed a helicopter search had found the reptile in a creek 4km upstream from the suspected attack.
“Wildlife officers have humanely euthanised a large crocodile that is believed to be responsible for the fatal attack on the Annan River,” the department said.
“The animal had markings on its snout that were consistent with it being the target animal.”
Authorities on Monday expressed their sympathy to the missing man’s family and friends during a “very traumatic time”.
