The body of a man who tried to swim across a river full of crocodiles was found, along with the remains of the animal that attacked him.
Police told the Associated Press that 26-year-old Australian Sean Cole attempted to cross the Mary River in the Australian Outback on Saturday, but was nabbed by a crocodile that pulled him under along the way.
Authorities reported that Cole was at a birthday party in a popular Outback tourist spot on Saturday when he and some friends made the fateful decision to enter the water.
Tom Nichols, one of the wildlife rangers in the Northern Territory, stated that Cole's remains, plus a 15-foot, 5-inch long crocodile were found floating in the water on Monday.
"We believe the croc was responsible," Nichols told AP. But he also said that autopsies and tests to gauge whether the bite marks matched the dental lineup of the crocodile found were still being conducted.
The croc was one of four that police shot a few hours following the attack, the Associated Press reported.
Cole, who worked as an information technology professional in the Northern Territory capital of Darwin, died from either chest injuries, or from being drowned in the river by the 1,430 pound croc that pinned him in a death roll underwater.
This hunting move is one of the most well-known aspects of crocodile behavior- the reptile drags its prey beneath the water's surface, using its hefty body weight to roll back and forth, pushing downward until the unlucky creature drowns.
Nichols also reported that a few minutes after Cole was attacked, witnesses said they observed the croc moving upstream clutching Cole's remains in its mouth.
The Mary River is known for the huge number of crocodiles that live there. Signs are posted advising guests not to go within 16 feet of the shore, due to the risk of the heavy reptiles leaping from the water to pull people in.
According to Darwin zoologist and crocodile expert Grahame Webb, Cole didn't have a good chance of survival, not only because prey does not usually live past a death roll, but also because of the sheer numbers working against him.
"Someone swimming in an area with crocs like that," Webb said, "Crocs are going to zero in on them almost every time."
Check out this Animal Planet video of a crocodile death roll.
