Casting his line into rushing water just metres from two enormous crocodiles, a fisherman risks his life for a catch.
Passers-by were gobsmacked to see him nonchalantly standing on the notorious Cahill’s Crossing in the East Alligator River, three hours from Darwin.
Most would be terrified by the four-metre crocs lurking in the murky waters – but the fisherman was unfazed as he stood firm in his pursuit of a Barramundi or two.
Casting his line into rushing water just metres from two enormous crocodiles (circled), a fisherman risks his life for a catch
Passers-by were gobsmacked to see him nonchalantly standing on the notorious Cahill’s Crossing in the East Alligator River, three hours from Darwin
The deadly waterway on the eastern edge of Kakadu National Park is arguably the most dangerous in the country with a man dying there last year and a recent survey finding more than 120 crocodiles within six kilometres of the crossing.
The fisherman was photographed by local resident named as Kaff-Eine Paints as four-by-fours rushed past him.
She told NT News: ‘Most of the other fishermen had left the water but this guy was still there.
‘If it wasn’t the car that scared the croc away we wouldn’t have noticed it, the fisherman didn’t even flinch.’
She added: ‘If you make yourself a meal don’t blame the crocodile for eating you.’
A Parks Australia spokesman said: ‘Kakadu is home to around 10,000 crocs and they inhabit many areas of the national park,’ she said.
Neither four-metre crocs nor passing four-by-fours could phase the fisherman as he stood firm in his pursuit of a Barramundi or two
The deadly waterway on the eastern edge of Kakadu National Park is arguably the most dangerous in the country
‘We want everyone to stay safe and ask that warning signs are always obeyed, particularly around waterways, and not to take unnecessary risks that may put you and others in danger.’
In May a police officer was forced to stand guard with a shotgun during a dramatic rescue at Cahill’s Crossing.
A tour guide waded through the crocodile-infested waters after people became trapped in a flooded car.
The two people were attempting to cross the notorious river in a red Mitsubishi Magna when their car broke down.
They were trapped until a tour boat from Guluyambi arrived to pull the driver and passenger to safety.
Police officers from Gunbalanya arrived about 40 minutes later to tow the vehicle.
Spectacular images, captured by tourists on a nearby boat, show an officer wielding a shotgun as men wade through the water to tow the car.
Gunbalanya officer in charge Remote Sergeant Scott Lewis was pictured standing on the tray of a ute, gun in hand, watching for crocodiles.
The dangerous rescue unfolded about 3pm on May 21 and was only brought to the attention of local rescue crews thanks to the tourist boat.
Jabiru local Reijo Keitaanpaa, who watched the rescue operation, said it was entirely luck the tourist boat passed when it did.
Guluyambi Cultural Cruise tour’s Nik Wheatley, responsible for the rescue operation, said the incident was not uncommon.
‘This happens too often, we’re talking dozens of times a year,’ he said.
Mr Wheatley said the red Magna was the third car since April to become stuck.
Seven people were rescued by park rangers after their 4X4 broke down in the middle of the river in December 2016.
Cahill’s Crossing (pictured) in the Northern Territory is notorious for crocodile-infested waters, with more than one person losing their life to the animal at the crossing in recent years
The group were forced to clamber on to the vehicle’s roof and shout for help until finally a passer-by heard them and called the emergency services.
At least 120 saltwater crocodiles call the six kilometre area south of Cahill’s Crossing, in Kakadu National Park.
Cahill’s Crossing is on indigenous land to the east of the national park and is notoriously difficult to cross.
The crossing is littered with signs instructing people not to wade through it on foot.
People, often tourists, regularly get stuck at the flooded crossing after underestimating the water’s depth.
The number of crocodiles at Cahill’s Crossing has grown so high that drivers are now warned to give way to crocodiles that are walking over the ford.
Crocodile numbers in the Northern Territory have skyrocketed to an estimated 100,000 since crocodile hunting was banned in 1971.
Seven people were rescued from the exact same spot in December 2016 after their vehicle broke down on Cahills Crossing