Horrifying footage has emerged of the shocking moment a rope snapped on a truck towing a van and its occupants through crocodile-infested waters in a notorious crossing that went horribly wrong.
The vehicles were attempting to cross Cahills Crossing, a river in the Northern Territory’s Kakadu National Park known for its crocodile-spotting, on Monday.
But the rope broke and the truck was swept away by the currents before becoming stuck in the water and slightly tilted to one side, preventing it from continuing downstream.
Fortunately, the driver and his passenger managed to escape through the window of the van and climb onto the hood before getting into the truck which returned for them.
A man in the back of the truck helped the couple to safety.
After being rescued, up to 20 large saltwater crocodiles were seen lurking in the water near the stranded van.
Cahills Crossing has a long history of car claims and the two men were very lucky that their van got stuck instead of being swept away with them inside.
Cahills Crossing has also been plagued by tragedies in the past: a man died in 2017 after attempting to cross the dangerous area on foot.
The van was being towed by a truck when the rope broke, dragging the van along before it became stuck.
In 1987, 40-year-old Kerry McLoughlin was decapitated by a crocodile while fishing in the area.
And in 2021, a group of tourists were forced to swim in crocodile-infested waters after their Subaru Forester got stuck in the river.
A popular tour operator recently called families who were fishing and picnicking near the site in late August, saying a deadly crocodile attack was “waiting to happen.”
Cyaround Australia Tours shared amazing footage of a young family fishing just metres from at least ten crocodiles at Cahills Crossing, oblivious to the deadly dangers lurking below.
After the van ran aground, up to 20 large saltwater crocodiles were seen in the water near the stranded vehicle. Another stranded van is pictured surrounded by crocodiles.
“This family was literally having a picnic on the street with the kids constantly at the water’s edge and absolutely zero sense of the crocodile,” the tour operator fumed.
‘At that time there were about ten large crocodiles visible within 50 metres of them and probably another 25 crocodiles that we couldn’t see at that time.
“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but it’s only a matter of time until we have another fatality here and it’s witnessed by hundreds of people.”
Cahills Crossing is only a few metres wide, but is considered one of Australia’s most dangerous bodies of water because it is home to around 120 crocodiles, some of which are up to five metres long.
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