PA
A girl of seven is believed to have been eaten by a crocodile in Australia.
The child was seen being dragged under water by the reptile as she swam with friends at a waterhole in a remote Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory, about 200 miles east of Darwin.
The crocodile also attacked a male swimmer in the group.
It was shot by local authority marksmen, and human remains were found in its stomach, a day after the little girl was last seen.
Police described the discovery as 'heartbreaking' but added that it had not yet been confirmed that they were the body parts of the child.
"Further forensic testing will be conducted in Darwin to determine if the remains are human and, if found human, the identity of the person," said Sergeant Shaun Gill, from the Northern Territory police. "This is a heartbreaking outcome for the family and the community."
"Witnesses have told police that a crocodile attacked the male adult before pulling the girl under water."
The child's tight-knit community of Maningrida were said to be continuing their search for her, despite the grim discovery.
Charmana Namarnyilk, 24, told the Northern Territory News that everyone was coming together in their grief.
"We are having a church service. We came together and we're helping one another," she said.
Crocodiles are common place in northern Australia, and can grow to around 20 feet long and weight in at more than a ton.
Aboriginal communities have various strategies for keeping safe at creeks and waterholes, including throwing rocks in the water to try and locate crocodile free spots in which to bathe and collect water.