The woman who was present as her Kiwi friend was killed by a crocodile in far north Queensland has recounted the tragic night in 2016.
Leeann Mitchell was with her best friend and former Hamiltonian Cindy Waldron on Thornton Beach, north of Port Douglas in May, 2016 celebrating the end of her cancer treatment.
The pair had been running around the beach and ended up at the edge of the water, Mitchell told the Australia Sunday Night program.
"It was really dark, Cindy's back was to the water, and mine was to the beach and we were laughing,” she said.
"Then Cindy cried out to me and I thought she said, 'It's got me'.
"And so I put my arms out, and she took my arms and I said, 'I've got you, babe. I've got you. It's OK. I've got you."
The 4.3m crocodile pulled the pair into the water until Mitchell could not feel anything under her feet.
"I put my hand out and I felt the top of its head, then I started trying to punch and trying to hit and trying to fight and I was screaming and just trying to fight."
Mitchell continued a frantic search for Waldron.
"I dived down and I couldn't see anything and I was feeling around, frantically trying to feel ... for anything," she said.
Mitchell was treated for puncture wounds and shock at hospital.
The crocodile believed to have killed Waldron was euthanised in June 2016.
Human remains, believed to be those of the former Hamiltonian, were found in the crocodile.
SHARE ME