Aussies rescued from car roof in croc-infested waters

A carload of foolhardy Aussies had to be rescued from crocodile-infested waters after their vehicle was washed off Cahills Crossing between Kakadu and Arnhem Land.

Five passengers were reportedly relaxing on the roof of their four-wheel drive on Monday night at about 7pm when the vehicle was washed off the crossing and into the waterway.

The infamous Northern Territory spot is one of the most dangerous bodies of water in the country – the submerged crossing on the East Alligator river is notorious for misadventure.

Five drunk Aussies had to be rescued after their car was washed into crocodile-infested waters

Clayton Dwyer and Nick Perkins (pictured) were rescued after the car plunged into the water

Clayton Dwyer and Nick Perkins (pictured) were rescued after the car plunged into the water

Clayton Dwyer and Nick Perkins were among the stranded revellers sitting on the roof of the car when it plunged into the notorious saltwater croc feeding grounds.

Rangers last year conducted a survey of the East Alligator River and counted 120 crocodiles in a six-kilometre stretch south of Cahills Crossing.

World leading crocodile expert Grahame Webb told news.com.au that for every crocodile you can see, there are ’10 you can’t’.

Huge numbers of people every year dice with death as the try to cross the deadly waterway

Huge numbers of people every year dice with death as the try to cross the deadly waterway

 Rangers surveyed East Alligator River and counted 120 crocodiles in a six-kilometre stretch

 As the waters rise over the submerged crossing, cars are washed into the croc-infested water

 As the waters rise over the submerged crossing, cars are washed into the croc-infested water

Crocodiles usually flock to the area in great numbers because of the veritable fish buffet that waits them – swarms of fish heading upstream with changing tides are easy pickings for the snap-happy reptiles.

Up to 40 crocs will congregate at the crossing at any one time to take advantage of the bottleneck, a spectacle that brings huge crowds to the area.

Although the deadly waterway is littered with signs instructing people not to wade through it on foot, huge numbers of tourists attempt the crossing every year.

The flooded crossing is a bottleneck for barramundi, attractine large numbers of saltwater crocs

The flooded crossing is a bottleneck for barramundi, attracting vast numbers of crocodiles

In January 2017, a 47-year-old man was killed after being violently dragged underwater by a 3.3-metre crocodile.

The man’s body was found about two kilometres downriver hours later and the ‘very protective’ crocodile had to be shot dead so the body could be safely retrieved, police told Daily Mail Australia. 

The man is believed to be from the nearby indigenous Gunbalanya community, the ABC reported.

‘Cahill’s Crossing is notorious for crocodiles and to walk across it to me is just foolishness,’ NT Police Duty Superintendent Bob Harrison said.

‘The area’s noted for crocodiles on the causeway and there are signs there saying don’t go in the water. Unfortunately they did and that was the result,’ he told Sky News. 

‘You are tempting fate, knowing the size of the crocodiles in that area,’ Mr Harrison told ABC Radio Darwin.

'It's a real hot spot to see salties and a lot of people visit to do just that – you can sit on the side to count all the crocs,' he said

 The site is littered in signs instructing people not to go near the dangerous waterway on foot

People 'know crocodiles are in that area but people do silly things unfortunately', police said

People ‘know crocodiles are in that area but people do silly things unfortunately’, police said

Parks and Wildlife Commission NT crocodile management chief ranger Tom Nichols told News.com.au that ‘people just need to be aware this time of year’.

‘They know better. They know crocodiles are in that area but people do silly things unfortunately.

‘We get tired of saying it, it is just another timely reminder that people just have to be aware the river systems do contain crocodiles.’ 

The man’s tragic death came just one month after seven people had to be rescued by park rangers after their 4X4 broke down in the middle of the river.

The group were forced to clamber onto the vehicle’s roof and shout for help until finally a passer-by heard them and called the emergency services.

There was outrage in 2013 when a man was spotted dipping a 9-month-old baby in the water

There was outrage in 2013 when a man was spotted dipping a 9-month-old baby in the water

Infant Dexter was pictured splashing about in the dangerous river with his mother's partner

Infant Dexter was pictured splashing about in the dangerous river with his mother’s partner

In a spectacle that prompted public outrage in 2013, a man was spotted dipping a baby into the water.

Nine-month-old Dexter was pictured splashing about in the dangerous river after his mother’s partner took him into the water.

The site is littered in signs instructing people not to go near the water on foot, but that did not stop another woman who was seen goading a crocodile with a flip flop last year.

The woman, who was accompanied by a tiny pet dog, was seen whacking her sandal and shouting ‘come on!’ at a crocodile that was just metres away from her.

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. 

Foolhardy drivers take on on the infamous Cahills Crossing in the Northern Territory regularly 

Foolhardy drivers take on on the infamous Cahills Crossing in the Northern Territory regularly 

A woman was filmed standing next to the river as she warned off a crocodile with her flip flop

A woman was filmed standing next to the river as she warned off a crocodile with her flip flop



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