Kakadu National Park: Maguk Falls drowning victim was 32-year-old Darwin man

A SWIMMER who drowned at Maguk Falls in Kakadu National Park has been identified as a 32-year-old Darwin man

A swimmer who drowned at Maguk Falls in Kakadu National Park has been identified as a 32-year-old Darwin man. Picture: Phillippa Butt

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A SWIMMER who drowned at Maguk Falls in Kakadu National Park has been identified as a 32-year-old Darwin man.

A school group is understood to have found the body of the man who drowned on Sunday.

A Darwin tourist, who was there at the time, told the NT News a student found the body.

The tourist, who did not want to be named, estimated the man’s body was about 5m below the water’s surface, in the main plunge pool up on the top gorge when he was discovered about 11am.

He said the students, who are understood to be on a school trip from Victoria, were distraught at the find with teachers having to calm them down.

The alarm was raised after teachers rang the emergency call device, alerting park rangers to the situation.

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Police divers were tasked to find the man and retrieved the body on Monday.

Due to the remoteness and rugged terrain the divers’ gear had to be flown in by helicopter.

A police spokesman said the body was being transferred to Darwin for it to be formally identified by the man’s family.

“Family are believed to be in Darwin,” the spokesman said.

“Until formal ID has occurred we are unable to release any further details.”

Police have not released details about the man’s age or where he is from.

In a statement, Parks Australia, who manage Kakadu National Park said its thoughts were with the man’s family and friends.

“Park staff and traditional owners feel great sadness when a person dies or is hurt in Kakadu,” the statement read.

“We are deeply saddened by (Sunday’s) incident and our condolences go to all those affected.”

The Parks Australia statement said swimming was not prohibited at the pools above Maguk where the man was understood to have been at the time.

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“The top pools will be temporarily closed while we undertake a further risk assessment, and until we have received feedback on the fatality from NT Police.”

Maguk, also known as Barramundi Gorge, is a popular off-track swimming hole about an hour’s drive south of Cooinda.

The drowning death comes after a Chinese woman died at the upper pools of Edith Falls on August 24.