The remains of a man who went missing have been discovered inside a killer crocodile, police in Australia have said.
Keen angler Kevin Darmody disappeared while fishing on the River Kennedy banks in Rinyirru National Park, Far North Queensland, at the weekend.
Concerns arose for the 65-year-old when panicked yelling and splashing sounds were heard by campers, with his flip flops later found nearby.
Police believe he had been at the water's edge fetching a fishing bait when a crocodile in the river pounced on him.
Dive and rescue crews were sent to search the river, but the operation was called off on Tuesday after two crocodiles measuring 4.1 and 2.8 metres - which were believed to be involved - were put down.
Tragically, human remains believed to belong to Mr Darmody were found inside one of the reptiles with a formal identification process underway.
Michael Joyce from Queensland's wildlife management team said the two beasts were shot from a distance upstream "within 10 seconds" one one another after the crew honed in on them.
"This is the second time this has occurred, the last one was during the Hinchinbrook fatality, and it is certainly something we're learning," he told ABC News.
"It's obviously something that does occur in crocodile populations."
Mr Darmody, a hotel manager from the nearby town of Laura, was affectionately nicknamed 'Stumpy' with tributes pouring in, as friends described him as a "bloody top bloke" and a "legend".
He had also been an extremely knowledgeable fisher, friends said, and was aware of the risks of fishing in crocodile-infested waters.
In one Facebook post, Mr Darmody shared pictures of a crocodile leaping from the river as it swallowed a huge catfish whole.
"He wasn't a tourist or a visitor to Cape York, he is or was a local, he knew the dangers, just bloody bad luck - in a split second you can be taken by a croc," one person said on Facebook.
Bart Harrison, a resident from nearby Cooktown, said he and a friend had rushed to the scene after hearing what happened.
"A lad came up on the road shouting 'he's gone, he's gone' and my mate ran down the bank and said the water was all stirred up and dirty, you could see something bad happened," Mr Harrison told the Cairns Post.
"He was standing right there fishing a few minutes earlier, then he was gone, his thongs were left on the bank," he added.
"He had lived up here since I was a kid, been at the pub a long time, went fishing a lot.
"He knew the river pretty well, it really is sad."
The tragedy has reinvigorated new safety pleas for fishers going near the water, as authorities reminded the public not to get close to the river which has been deemed a crocodile conservation zone.
Tragic wildlife presenter Steve Irwin had previously visited the spot, letting troubled crocodiles go there.
Local fisherman Steve McDougall said; "There's one that we know pretty well there that, over the years I've said, 'This crocodile is going to eat someone one day' because he'll follow you up and sit right at the bank.
"I've seen him eating ducks right on the edge of the water."
Authorities said a file would now be prepared for the coroner.
