Police officer stands shotgun as two people rescued from notorious crocodile-infested Cahills Crossing

A BOATLOAD of tourists had an unexpected first-hand experience of Top End life after their tour guides rescued two people trapped in a car from the notorious croc-infested Cahills Crossing

Gunbalanya officer in charge Remote Sergeant Scott Lewis stands shotgun as rescuers work to remove a stranded car from the notoriously croc-infested Cahills Crossing. Picture: Reijo Keitaanpaa

A BOATLOAD of tourists had an unexpected first-hand experience of Top End life after their tour guides rescued two people trapped in a car from the notorious croc-infested Cahills Crossing.

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The close call took place after a red Mitsubishi Magna attempted to tail a four-wheel-drive as it made its way over the NT’s most infamous crossing.

Two people who are rescued from their stranded car after it became stranded on the notoriously croc-infested Cahills Crossing. Picture: Reijo Keitaanpaa

A group of men, including Gunbalanya officer in charge Remote Sergeant Scott Lewis, arrived at the crossing almost 40 minutes later to help remove the flooded vehicle.

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One of the men had the less than enviable job of jumping in the river to attach straps to the Mitsubishi while Sergeant Lewis stood in the tray of a ute – gun in hand – watching for crocs.

Jabiru resident Reijo Keitaanpaa was at Cahills Crossing fishing and watched the scene unfold on May 21 about 3pm.

He said it was lucky the tour boat showed up when it did.

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“I’m pretty sure they were relieved the tour boat turned up as any attempt to walk out through the water would have washed them away,” he said.

He said the men in the white LandCruiser, which towed the car out of the water, seemed to know what they were doing.

“He was in and out pretty quickly and it looked like it hadn’t been the first time he’d done it because it was all done very quickly,” he said.

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“The reason for the towing out is there was traffic backing up on the Oenpelli side of the river and they had to get the car out as quickly as they could.”

The duo were rescued by Robbie Narmanyilk and Nik Wheatley of a Guluyambi Cultural Cruise tour.

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Mr Wheatley said it was disappointing that two other boats, one of them a charter boat, made no attempt to rescue the duo.

He said when that became apparent they jumped into gear and manoeuvred the boat to the vehicle so the occupants could climb aboard.

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They were then dropped on the Kakadu side of the crossing.

“This happens too often – we’re talking dozens of times a year,” Mr Wheatley said.

“This was the third car to get stuck since April that we’ve seen.”