Queensland - Boy, 5, taken by crocodile in Daintree

[dirtydog]

Boy, 5, taken by crocodile in Daintree

A DAINTREE River guide plunged into a croc-infested mangrove swamp in a desperate bid to save his five-year-old son snatched by a 3m crocodile.

Tour guide Steve Doble, who owns Daintree Rainforest Rivertrain, flung himself into the waist-deep floodwaters only to find his youngest boy had vanished without a trace.

He was alerted by the screams of his older son Ryan, 7, who had to be treated for shock after witnessing the attack.

Jeremy Doble, 5, is missing feared dead after he was taken by the crocodile, believed to be the dominant resident male Goldie, in the swamp behind his family home about 9.15am.

Locals said the "sweet, gentle-natured" child and his older brother were playing on a boogie board as their father fixed a broken mangrove boardwalk nearby.

The Doble family were too upset to speak publicly about their horrific ordeal yesterday.

"It is just devastating," said long-time local Col Patterson, 44, whose family built and sold the 13ha tourist property to the family five years ago.

"Dad jumped in after him, but it was too late. His older brother saw it all and will, no doubt, be haunted by that image.

"Everyone in the community has come together for them."

Mr Patterson said it was the end of the breeding season and up to 100 resident mature-age crocodiles in the Daintree River system were "hungry, aggressive and on the move".

The big male and several nesting females had been seen sheltering in the mangrove away from the fast-flowing cold floodwaters in recent weeks.

Police, SES, and about 20 local tour guides on boats scoured the treacherous waters and swamps, hampered by king tides and flash flooding, probing deep holes with bamboo poles.

SES controller Bob Taylor said many crocodiles up to 5m were spotted yesterday.

Last night they planned to spotlight the Daintree River, creeks and mangrove swamp at low tide about 3.30am.

The latest tragedy, 200m east of the Daintree River Ferry crossing, is 14km downstream from the site of the last fatal attack on the river when a 5m croc took local postmistress Beryl Wruck at Daintree township in 1985.

It comes just four months after Vietnam veteran Arthur Booker was taken in the Endeavour River at Cooktown.

Police Inspector Dave Ellis said the search cordon centred on a 300m section of the mangrove and creeks.

"The community is throwing everything they have into trying to find this child," he said.

Boy, 5, taken by crocodile in Daintree | The Courier-Mail

[Loy Toy]

What a horrible tragedy but why would a father allow his 2 toddlers to play on a boogy board in a crododile infested mangrove!

Beats me how stupid some parents can be as my kids would not have been allowed 50 metres near that area with all the reports of large crocs around

[Bexar County Stud]

What a horrible tragedy but why would a father allow his 2 toddlers to play on a boogy board in a crododile infested mangrove!

Yes, what a miserable, heart-breaking story. It doesn't seem like raising kids next to a crocodile infested swamp - and them allowing them to play next to said swamp is such a bright idea. Terrible, the kid deserved better than that FFS.

[nedwalk]

especially when the parents work as tour guides in the area, maybe too much complaicency, i also wonder how long before the crocs in the adelaide river start jumping into fishermens tinnys, those famous croc jumping tours have been entertaining the tourists forever, i reckon they been teaching the crocs a new way of getting a feed

[mrsquirrel]

Strange story.

Doesn't at all add up really.

[good2bhappy]

^ a sad story

[mrsquirrel]

^ It is.

But it still doesn't add up.

An experienced adventure guide letting his kids play on a crocodile river?

Was it pure stupidity, had he just got lax?

Is there more to it than that? Was his brother involved somehow?

[good2bhappy]

I must say I thought the father had acted negligently to allow his boys to play in such a river.
The only witnesses are the older boy and the dad.
Are you implying they might be covering something up?

[mrsquirrel]

^You never know.

There was that case up that way a few years abck where the guide let people swim in croc waters.

This story is just to neat and tidy for me. Cynical mind, maybe?

[friscofrankie]

^Did you always mind your parents?
^Did your parents catch you out every time you didn't mind them?

My friends and I were forbidden to play in "The Creek" behind my housing development because it was where we went to catch snakes. Place was supposed to be infested with rattlesnakes. We were there every chance we could get.

I still bear the scars from a workshop accident, playing with things I was told could hurt me while my dad worked on the car. Shit like this happens. Sad occurrence, but hardly sounds "neat & tidy" just an unfortunate accident.

[Loy Toy]

Held life insurance papers for a 5 year old!


I believe just stupidity and with all due respects to that race possibly an Aborigine.

I have visited that area and seen Aborigine kids swimming in rivers with Crocs a couple of 100 metres up shore!

Wrong place, wrong season for the crocs and an unfortunate but foolish accident!

[mrsquirrel]

^Did you always mind your parents? ^Did your parents catch you out every time you didn't mind them?

From the story the father knew he was out on a boogie board.

I'm sure they charged the tour guide with neglect on the croc thing.

Will they charge the parents?

[jandajoy]

I believe just stupidity and with all due respects to that race possibly an Aborigine.

Don't think so.

[DrivingForce]

An experienced adventure guide letting his kids play on a crocodile river?

Steve Irwin?

[jandajoy]

Don't kill crocs: parents

Thomas Chamberlin & Carenda Jenkin
Monday, February 9, 2009
© The Cairns Post

UPDATE: The parents of a five-year-old boy feared taken by a crocodile at the Daintree River say they don't want any of the reptiles put down.
Acting Police Inspector Jason Smith told reporters the parents had said they did not want anything to happen to crocodiles along the river.
"I've been advised that the child's family that they do not want any adverse action against crocodiles in the Daintree," he said.
Police are expected to make further comment this afternoon.
The father of five-year-old Jeremy Doble, tour guide Steve Doble was among a group of locals, SES volunteers and wildlife officers who searched the river overnight using spotlights.
They are reported to have spotted up to three large crocs in the area where Jeremy was taken – two females and a resident male known to locals as Lumpy.
The search has continued this morning however high tides are hampering efforts.
Searchers have been unable to get access to the boardwalk where Jeremy was playing with his brother Ryan, 7, when he disappeared. They hope to get down to the boardwalk, which crosses a creek near the Doble family home, when the tide recedes later today.
Mr Doble, who owns the Daintree Rainforest Rivertrain with wife Sharon, was working on the boardwalk when Ryan’s screams alerted him to the tragedy. The boys were chasing their pet dog and Jeremy jumped into the flooded creek after the animal. Ryan told police he saw a large croc immediately after his brother vanished.
There are unconfirmed reports Mr Doble jumped into the creek to try and save his son.
Once Mr Doble raised the alarm, a major search was launched for Jeremy, with locals stringing a net across the creek to stop the croc escaping into the Daintree River.
In wet and muddy conditions, a team of 10 police officers and 14 SES volunteers in boats searched a 4km section of the Daintree River.
Searches were also done above and below the Daintree River ferry crossing and water near the boardwalk. Several large crocodiles, up to 5m, were spotted in the area.
The search was suspended last night due to worsening weather conditions and failing light. Police will take advice from National Parks and Wildlife Officers to determine search parameters today.
Far North Queensland police region Insp Dave Ellis vowed crews would do whatever it took to find Jeremy and the crocodile.
Insp Ellis described the family’s ordeal as tragic.
"The community is banding together, helping and throwing in whatever they have," Insp Ellis said.
"There’s always hope and always a chance of finding something."
Business and family friend and president of Tourism Daintree Coast Neil Hewett said the Daintree community was in shock.
He described the Doble family as happy, healthy and committed to tourism with priorities of protecting the environment and crocodile population.
Mr Hewett said his six-year-old daughter and his eight-year-old son regularly played with Jeremy.
"They’ve all played with the kids in the home setting where the tragedy occurred," he said.
"It’s difficult for kids to process it.
"Over the course of the day, they’ve dealt with the horror in their own way."
Mr Hewett said Mr Doble’s children were well aware of the dangers of crocodiles.

[DrivingForce]

*edit* wrong reference..

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Another unpleasant story, another freak tragedy, another handful of voyeristic comments and forgotten.

It's not nice, what else is there to say?

Why does it need to be said?

[DrivingForce]

I have visited that area and seen Aborigine kids swimming in rivers with Crocs a couple of 100 metres up shore!

Thai like then?? some pretty nasty critters inhabit these lands and waters too... It is very tragic though and sad for any reason, ultimately this father has to live with his decision and his failure to protect his son through common sense or whatever it is still his responsibility to 'guide' first all else should have been secondary.. I'm going to go hug my boys now..

[friscofrankie]

Locals said the "sweet, gentle-natured" child and his older brother were playing on a boogie board as their father fixed a broken mangrove boardwalk nearby.

From the story the father knew he was out on a boogie board.

You appear to be inferring more than is written. That they were dong one thng while he was doing another hardly indicates knowledge of what they were doing or where they were doing it.

Things happens to kids because they are being kids, it's sad. Kids take chances without a moments though that few adults would ever consider. Sometimes they get hurt even die. There will always be a contingent to exclaim, hint or lament a lack of parental interaction or supervision.

As far as I can see, the only culprit here is Mother Nature. The poor family.

[DrivingForce]

That they were dong one thng while he was doing another hardly indicates knowledge of what they were doing or where they were doing it.

FF I understand your perspective but if they were in his charge, he should have known... It is just not allowed to be so distracted, especially when you understand the very real danger that surrounds you as this "guide" should have..Ignorance of your surroundings and the danger is one thing but complacency or neglect is another..

[jandajoy]

An interesting read.

Crocodile Attack in Australia: An Analysis of Its Incidence and Review of the Pathology and Management of Crocodilian Attacks in General

[Norton]

Steve Irwin?

Good example. Guides and naturalists often times gain behaviors which override the natural fear most folks would have when it comes to the dangers of animals. Of all people they should know better. Crocs, loins, bears etc are wild animals and should be treated with some fear. Not sure this is a case of neglect or irresponsibility but rather one of the guide becoming complacent.

Agree with the parents. Putting the crocs down while it may fulfill the need for revenge is not going to bring back the boy and certainly won't prevent future croc attacks. Crocs are carnivores. They will always seek easy prey. Something guides and naturalists should never forget!

[jandajoy]

It's a tragic story and maybe it could have been avoided but, unfortunately such incidents go with living in such areas. On the other hand how many kids get run over in the more densely populated area?

IMO it's the fact that it's a croc attack that makes the headlines. Such attacks are, I believe a lot less frequent than fatalities from cars, and the like.

RIP and condolences to the family.

[mrsquirrel]

I think the brother pushed him in.

[Rattanaburi]

S-tupid.