Woman feared dead in crocodile attack in far north Queensland 
 
 Updated 
 
 A woman is feared dead after being taken by a crocodile in the Daintree National Park, north of Cairns in far north Queensland. 
 
 Key points: Woman was swimming waist-deep in water with a friend at Thornton Beach about 10:30pm on Sunday 
 
 Friend tried to grab the woman and drag her to safety 
 
 Reports of a five-metre croc in the area 
 
 The 46-year-old woman, from Lithgow in New South Wales, was swimming with a friend at Thornton Beach about 10:30pm on Sunday. 
 
 Senior Constable Russell Parker said the women were waist-deep in the water when one of them was taken by the crocodile. 
 
 "It's certainly very, very concerning at this stage and we would hold grave fears for the welfare of the woman," he said. 
 
 "Her 47-year-old friend tried to grab her and drag her to safety and she just wasn't able to do that. 
 
 "It would be very, very distressing for her. 
 
 "The 47-year-old then ran to a nearby business and raised the alarm, and from that point police and other authorities were advised. 
 
 "They had been walking along the beach and they've decided to go for a swim just in waist-deep water at Thornton Beach and probably a very nice, clear night, but obviously may not have been aware of the dangers." 
 
 The woman 'started to scream and was dragged into the water' 
 
 The victim's friend is being treated for grazes and shock at the Mossman Hospital. 
 
 Neil Noble from the Queensland Ambulance Service said the 47-year-old woman has a graze on her arm that is believed to be from the crocodile. 
 
 "They felt a nudge and her partner started to scream and then was dragged into the water," he said. 
 
 Mr Noble said a local crocodile expert said a five-metre crocodile has been seen in area in the past few weeks. 
 
 "The whole of Cairns and up into the Cape is known for its large crocodiles," he said. 
 
 "Certainly one has to be very careful around our waterways. Stay well away from the water when you can, especially when you can't see. 
 
 "Just be very mindful that they are out there and that they can get you really quickly." 
 
 Senior Constable Parker said a rescue helicopter was in the air last night using thermal imaging equipment to try to locate the woman, but could not find her. 
 
 A large-scale search began at first light this morning. 
 
 "We've got a forward command post set up at Thornton Beach," the officer said. 
 
 "We are utilising our own water police and land-based officers, as well was SES volunteers and so on, and we've got the SES boat in there as well," he said. 
 
 The last fatal crocodile attack in the area was in 2009, when five-year-old Jeremy Doble was taken from a swamp near his home. 
 
 Topics: crocodile, emergency-incidents, daintree-4873, cairns-4870 
 
 First posted 

 Story highlights A woman is feared dead and another hospitalized after an alleged crocodile attack in Australia 
 
 Rescue operators are still searching for the missing woman 
 
 (CNN) A 46-year-old woman is feared dead after being attacked by a crocodile while swimming with a friend on a beach in far North Queensland in Australia. 
 
 The women, who were not from the area, were reportedly swimming in waist deep water on remote Thornton Beach, in the Daintree National Park in Cairns at about 10.30 p.m. Sunday night (8:30 a.m. ET) when the woman was taken by the crocodile. 
 
 North Queensland member for parliament, Warren Entsch, who represents the region, said the victim should be blamed for the attack, not the crocodile. 
 
 "You can't legislate against human stupidity," Entsch said on Monday, noting that Thornton Beach lies next to a creek where tourism operators run crocodile-spotting tours. 
 
 "This is a tragedy but it was avoidable. You can only get there by ferry, and there are signs there saying watch out for the bloody crocodiles," he added. 
 
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– "If you go in swimming at 10 o'clock at night, you're going to get consumed." Such was the assessment of an Australian lawmaker when commenting on a woman who is believed to have been consumed by a crocodile Sunday night in far North Queensland. Warren Entsch, who serves in parliament, placed the blame squarely on Cindy Waldron, 46, who went swimming at 10:30pm Sunday in the Daintree National Park. The attack occurred at Thornton Beach, which is only accessible via ferry and has signs "saying watch out for the bloody crocodiles," Entsch said. "You can't legislate against human stupidity." Senior Constable Russell Parker tells Australia's ABC News that Waldron, who lived in New South Wales, was swimming with a friend in waist-deep water when the attack happened. The friend tried to pull her to safety but failed, and then ran to a local business to get help; she was unharmed save for some grazes, but is in an extreme state of shock, per an emergency responder. Parker says they have thus far been unable to find Waldron, though a helicopter equipped with thermal imaging equipment was used last night. The search will continue Monday. CNN notes that crocodile attacks in the region occur infrequently, with the last one in the park having taken place in 2009, when a 5-year-old was killed. In comments to Stuff.co.nz, a local official suggests this attack could be especially rare: "I don't know exactly where it happened, but if it was on the beach, that is very unusual for a croc to attack on a beach. They live in estuaries and are usually in transit when on a beach, going from one estuary to another."