SA: Killer croc hunt frustrated by weather

AAP General News (Australia)
12-25-2003
SA: Killer croc hunt frustrated by weather

ADELAIDE, Dec 25 AAP - Bad weather and conditions continued to frustrate a police hunt
for a killer crocodile and its 22-year-old victim in a flooded Northern Territory river
today.

The search for Brett Mann, who was killed by the saltwater crocodile in the Finniss
River on Sunday, was suspended yesterday due to unsafe conditions.

A Darwin police spokesman said today extreme flooding and severe weather continued
to make it impossible to search the river, 80km south-west of Darwin.

Conditions would be reassessed later, but it was not likely the search would be resumed
today, he said.

The four-metre crocodile which killed Mr Mann also stalked his friends, Shaun Blowers
and Ashley McGough, both 19.

The trio had been on a quad bike ride on Sunday and were washing in the river when
Mr Mann, 22, was swept away.

The pair swam out to rescue him, but Mr Mann was taken by a crocodile lurking nearby.

The crocodile and Mr Mann disappeared for five minutes before the reptile returned
to stalk the friends for 22 hours while they sought refuge up a tree.

The pair were eventually winched to safety by police in a helicopter.

AAP scl/cd

KEYWORD: CROCODILE 2ND DAYLEAD

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