Boy, 14, in hospital after crocodile attack while fishing at far north Queensland beach | Queensland

A 14-year-old boy has been hospitalized after being attacked by a crocodile while fishing on a beach in Far North Queensland, authorities said.

He was injured in the leg and torso on Saturday afternoon at Myall Beach in Cape Tribulation, a small coastal community 140km north of Cairns, a Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said.

The teenager was in a stable condition on Monday, Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service confirmed.

He was fishing in thigh-deep water before the attack, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation said.

“A Detsi officer confirmed that the injuries were consistent with a crocodile attack,” the spokesperson said.

_{Subscribe: Email AU Breaking News}

After the attack, the teen was moved to a nearby home, where guests and residents provided first aid, ABC reported.

Detsi officers immediately launched a search of the area, including using drones and a search for boats. They found no trace of the crocodile.

The department will continue to monitor the area and has installed additional crocodile warning signs, complementing the permanent signs at all beach access points.

October marks the start of the region’s annual crocodile breeding season.

The Detsi website states that male crocodiles “become particularly cheeky when looking for a mate” during this time, potentially increasing the risk.

There have been four crocodile sightings around Cape Tribulation in the past month, according to Detsi data, with the last report being near Mason Creek on October 22.

Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive Natassia Wheeler said crocodiles were an important part of Far North Queensland’s ecosystem.

The tourism industry actively encourages visitors to be educated and informed about wildlife risks, “just like we would anywhere in the world,” she said.

“Our thoughts are with the young person who was affected. »

QTIC recently hosted a media roundtable on “the importance of factual reporting that informs and educates the public without exaggerating incidents in a way that could unfairly impact tourism operators.”