Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Croc unlikely to have taken missing man
Police searching for a missing Victorian man, whose ute became bogged in Queensland’s Daintree rainforest, say it’s unlikely he’s been taken by a crocodile.
December 24, 2019
Rescuers searching for a missing Victorian man, whose bogged ute has been found in North Queensland’s Daintree rainforest, say it’s unlikely he’s fallen prey to a crocodile.
Milan Lemic, 25, was last seen beside his bogged ute at Bairds Crossing near the Upper Daintree Village at about 4.30pm on Sunday, police say.
A witness offered to get a tractor to help free the vehicle, but when he returned 20 minutes later Mr Lemic was gone, leading to fears he may have been taken by a crocodile.
However, that was all but ruled out following an overnight search of the Daintree River, which found the reptiles in the area were too small to have taken Mr Lemic.
“It appears extremely unlikely that a crocodile is involved,” the Queensland environment department posted on social media.
Search co-ordinator Senior Sergeant Ed Lukin says rescuers are hopeful Mr Lemic, who he described as a loner unlikely to seek help, will be found alive.
“We are again going to search farms, sheds; we’ve got extra police up there on quad bikes to access (previously) inaccessible areas,” he said.
“We’ve (also) got SES on foot, and drone capability.”
Mr Lemic was last seen wearing a brightly coloured singlet, black gym shirt with white writing on it, black tracksuit pants, no shoes and no hat.
He is 191cm tall with black hair.