A long-time friend of a fisherman killed by a crocodile has recalled the harrowing moment his mate was taken.
John Peiti said all he could see of his mate Kevin Darmody were his thongs on the bank after the man ‘literally disappeared off the face of the Earth’ last month in remote Far North Queensland.
Mr Darmody, 65, was fishing along the banks of the Kennedy River at Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park on April 29 when he vanished.
It was confirmed early this month human remains were discovered inside two crocodiles that had been euthanised after the horror incident.
Mr Peiti who was also at the riverbank when his mate disappeared said he never saw the crocodile that took him.
‘When he was taken he was taken straight down, there was no waving the arms in the air – just a total disappearance,’ the racehorse trainer told The Australian.
The only sign John Peiti could see of publican Kevin Darmody (pictured) were his thongs on the riverbank after a croc took him out last month in Far North Queensland
The two men were fishing at the riverbank 50 metres apart before Mr Peiti heard the hotelier ‘roar’ followed by a huge splash.
It then took him 30 seconds to run through the bush to get to Mr Darmody but there was no sign of life near the fast-flowing river besides a large goanna.
‘[There were] no swirls in the water – it was like clicking your fingers and he disappeared … and bang, [the croc] must have just dragged him straight under,’ he said.
‘He literally just disappeared off the face of the Earth. There wasn’t any sign of him apart from his thongs on the bank.’
His mate suspected Mr Darmody must have lost his footing on the steep bank and fallen into the water where the crocodile was waiting.
Mr Peiti desperately searched around the river to find him along with others from their fishing party.
But with no mobile phone coverage the group drove to a ranger’s station to report Mr Darmody’s disappearance.
The two men who had known each other for 20 years had been hanging out in the week leading up to the horror incident.
On that morning Mr Peiti, who is from Moruya in southern NSW was fishing for Barramundi with friends at the Kalpowar Crossing in Lakefield National Park in Far North Queensland.
Mr Darmody joined the group later after he finished a morning shift at his pub in Laura 330km north of Cairns.
Mr Darmody was fishing at the Kennedy River at Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park (pictured) on April 29 when he vanished
Mr Peiti joined the publican on the drive back to Laura when they decided to stop at the popular fishing spot Kennedy Bend on the way.
He said both men had seen what looked like a three metre ‘black croc’ on the sand bar as soon as they pulled up at the river.
The crocodile then slid into the water while the pair separated to catch more fish – before Mr Darmody was mauled.
His friend said the angler was very wary – more than others – around crocodiles.
Mr Peiti added he and Mr Darmody had both fallen into croc-infested waters in the past before quickly getting back out.
Nearby campers recalled hearing screams and frantic splashing on the day before fears were raised that Mr Darmody had been taken by a crocodile.
Authorities believe Mr Darmody went to the water’s edge to retrieve a fishing lure when he was snatched by the crocodile.
Crews including the police dive squad called off their search for the 65-year-old earlier this month after wildlife officers euthanised two crocodiles two days after the horror attack 1.5 kilometres upstream from where Mr Darmody was last seen.
Friends said Kevin Darmody (pictured) had a deep knowledge of fishing in dangerous waters and was aware of the risks
Human remains were found in one of the reptiles following a necropsy – a post-mortem examination of an animal – but both crocodiles are believed to be involved in the attack.
Mr Darmody, a publican in the rural town of Laura – about 75km from where he disappeared – was a keen angler who frequently documented his fishing trips on social media.
Friends said Mr Darmody, who was also affectionately known as ‘Stumpy’, had a deep knowledge of fishing in dangerous waters and was aware of the risks.
‘He wasn’t a tourist or a visitor to Cape York, he is or was a local, he knew the dangers, just bloody bad luck – in a split second you can be taken by a croc,’ one person wrote on Facebook.
The keen angler frequently documented his fishing trips on social media while one post showed a series of pictures of a crocodile mauling.
Tributes flowed for Mr Darmody, who ran the Peninsula Hotel in Laura, with some describing him as a ‘bloody top bloke’ and a ‘legend’.
Kevin Darmody was killed in a crocodile attack while fishing along the Kennedy River (stock image)
