Members from the Territory Response Group (TRG) have recovered the body of 26-year-old Katherine man Sean Cole at the Mary River after he was attacked by a crocodile on Saturday.
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Search and Rescue co-ordinator, Senior Constable First Class Wade Rodgers of the Water Police Section said Police recovered the body at around 5:30am in the area of where he was last sighted.
“Police would like to thank members of the public, and in particular staff from the Mary River Wilderness Retreat for their assistance during the search," he said.
“Our thoughts are with the family during this very difficult time.”
Members from Water Police, TRG, Crocodile Management Team (Parks and Wildlife) and the Northern Territory Emergency Service have worked tirelessly to bring closure to the family.
A report will now be prepared for the Coroner.
Sean Cole, who grew up in Katherine and went to school at Katherine High from 200 to 2004, was among about 15 friends celebrating a 30th birthday on the banks of the Northern Territory's Mary River - home to the world's highest concentration of saltwater crocodiles - when he and a mate decided to plunge in for a swim.
Mr Cole's friends watched helplessly from the bank as the crocodile grabbed him between its jaws and dragged him under the surface of the muddy river about 4pm on Saturday.
> Read the full story about Sean Cole's tragic death - and what police, rangers and the Katherine community had to say - in the print edition of the Katherine Times, Wednesday August 28.