Man Missing After Jumping Into Croc-Infested River To Escape From Police

Credit: 7News

While attempting to escape the police, a 36-year-old guy from Queensland jumped into a river infested with sharks and crocodiles and is now missing.

As they chased after him in Rockhampton on Thursday, October 19, officers saw the man—whose identity has not been made public—jump into the Fitzroy River.

Before diving into the river, he had fled from police as they tried to carry out an arrest warrant at an East Street house.

They had pursued him along East Street and Victoria Avenue.

Credit: 7News

According to Chief Inspector Mark Burgess, police attempted to 'verbally engage with the missing person to return to the bank, obviously for his own safety' after pursuing the man to the riverbank.

"The missing person was well in the water by the time our officers got to the bank," he said.

Burgess claimed he grew "distressed" at one point during the negotiations between the man and the officers.

The man then submerged himself and did not come to the surface.

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Burgess told 7News how it had happened, stating: “My understanding is that he’s yelled out ‘help’, or words of that similar nature, and has gone underwater. That would indicate some type of distress or some type of event.”

“Unfortunately, the officers have not been able to see that person resurface."

Burgess stated that there are "grave worries" for the man's welfare because he vanished underwater at approximately 6 p.m. local time and has not been seen since.

Though Burgess noted there are a "number of hazards" in the region, police have not ruled out the potential the man "may have made it to land."

Fitzroy River is well-known for its bull shark population and as a crocodile home.

At least one of the 4.5-meter-long crocodiles that were taken out of the river in July was discovered by police on Thursday night when they were looking for the man.

Burgess has refrained from speculating about the man's whereabouts, but he has stated that police will not end the search unless it is "absolutely clear that it's futile."

“We’ll continue to hold out hope and our priority is locating the missing person," he said.

Teams from police, CQ Rescue helicopter crews, the NSW State Emergency Service, and a dive squad are among those searching for the guy.

The man is characterized as being from Kawana, 187 cm tall, thin-built, with blue eyes and brown hair.

When last seen, he was donning a grey shirt and dark shorts.

While the outcome of this situation remains uncertain, the dedication and resilience of law enforcement and the community in their search for the missing man are unwavering.