Woman dragged away by a crocodile after going for a late-night swim

A woman has been declared missing after being taken by a crocodile during a late-night swim on Sunday night in far north Queensland,Australia.

Cindy Waldron, 46, from Lithgow in New South Wales, was swimming with her friend, Leeann Mitchell, 47, from Cairns, at Thornton Beach at Daintree, north of Cairns around 10pm. 

The pair had waded in to waist-deep water in an area known to have a high population of crocodiles, and as the woman was dragged away her friend tried desperately to free her from the creature's clutches.

Ms Waldron and Ms Mitchell were childhood friends from Hamilton, a town in the north island, reported the NZ Herald. 

Ms Mitchell had reportedly recently undergone chemotherapy for cancer. 

Federal MP Warren Entsch blamed it on 'human stupidity'.

You can't legislate against human stupidity,' he told AAP on Monday.'This is a tragedy but it was avoidable. There are warning signs everywhere up there.'

Senior Constable Russell Parker revealed details about the struggle which saw the 46-year-old taken away by a crocodile.

They had been walking along the beach and they've decided to go for a swim ... (it was) probably a very nice, clear night, but obviously (they) may not have been aware of the dangers.'We believe they were visiting the area and weren't local to it,' Mr Parker said.

The swimmer's last words before she disappeared were 'a croc's got me', Channel Nine reported. 

The pair were swimming at Thornton Beach at Daintree (pictured), an area with a high crocodile population

The friend then ran to a nearby business to raise the alarm, and was taken to hospital suffering shock and grazes.Queensland Ambulance service said the woman was extremely traumatised, having watched her friend being pulled out into the ocean. 

Mailonline