Australian woman believed to be taken by crocodile during her late night swim

In recent decades, the crocodile population in northern Australia has grown significantly, and the reptiles pose serious threats to all who venture near them, according to Sky News.

ABC News is reporting that a woman who went for a late night swim at Queensland's Thornton Beach on Sunday was carried off by one of the creatures and remains missing.

According to a friend who was at her side at the time, the two of them felt a "nudge," in the waist-deep water, and, within moments, 46-year-old Cindy Waldron was dragged away, notes BuzzFeed News.

Queensland State Police Senior Constable Russell Parker said that the victim "screamed out" and her friend "attempted to drag her out of the water and get her back onto the beach but unfortunately she wasn't able to do so."

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The friend was found with a graze on her arm thought to be from the crocodile. She was reportedly stable, but otherwise "but obviously extremely traumatized by the event."

Warren Entsch, an area politician, acknowledged the incident is a tragedy but also commented, "there are signs there saying watch out for the...crocodiles... You can't legislate against human stupidity. If you go in swimming at 10 o' clock at night, you're going to get consumed."