Hero dad’s final act before being killed by a crocodile in Cooktown in Far North Queensland
A respected doctor who tragically died in a horrific crocodile attack is being remembered for his final act of heroism in saving his wife’s life.
David Hogbin, 40, died after being attacked by a crocodile in the Annan River, south of Cooktown in Far North Queensland, just after 2pm on Saturday. He was on holiday in the region with his wife Jane and their three children.
Although it was initially reported that Dr Hogbin had fallen into the water while fishing, his loved ones have now revealed that he was actually walking along a path on a 50-foot high riverbank when a section of the ground suddenly gave way beneath him.
“Jane, who was nearby but not walking with Dave at the time, heard the splash and slid down to desperately pull him out,” his friend Alex Ward wrote GoFundMe.
‘The steepness and slipperiness of the bank allowed Jane to grab his arm, but she began to slide into the river herself.
‘Dave’s final, decisive act was to let go of Jane’s arm when he realised she was sliding inside, an act that probably saved her life. In an earth-shattering moment, Dave was carried off by the crocodile.’
Mr Ward said initial reports that Dr Hogbin had been attacked in front of his children were false and that none of his three sons saw him fall. That is little consolation to his loved ones.
Mr Ward said his family and friends were “completely devastated” by the tragedy but felt “incredibly lucky” to have had him in their lives.
David Hogbin, 40, is pictured with his wife Jane and their three sons during their unforgettable trip to Far North Queensland
He said Dr Hogbin would be remembered for his ‘enthusiasm and cheerfulness’ and his love of 4WD camping adventures.
“Dave achieved something we all aspire to: he realized before it was too late that he had everything he needed in life: his family, his friends and the time they could spend together,” Ward said.
‘It was a shared love and discovery of 4WDing that brought me such a close bond with Dave. I’m not sure I could do it without him (he would laugh at me and tell me to get back out there and continue the adventurous legacy he created for his boys)’
Jane Hogbin said her husband touched so many lives and she wanted to speak out to “put a face to this tragedy.”
“Not only has someone been killed by a crocodile, we have also lost a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, friend and doctor,” she told NewsCorp.
‘We were just enjoying a standard day of our vacation and everything changed within 30 seconds. He did nothing wrong – in fact, he did everything right, and yet this happened.
‘Things can change so quickly, even when you do everything right.’
Dr Hogbin was a general practitioner who worked at various medical centres in the Lake Macquarie region of NSW. He was currently based at Jewells Medical Centre.
According to an online profile, his medical interests were primarily in pediatrics and dermatology. In his spare time, he enjoyed spending time in the bush, driving a four-wheel drive, and fishing with his children.
Dr Hogbin’s loved ones have revealed that his last act was to save the life of his wife Jane, who desperately tried to pull him from the water
Dr Hogbin, a doctor in the Lake Macquarie region of New South Wales, was on a family holiday at the time of the tragedy
After graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 2014, he worked in real estate and nuclear medicine before training at the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.
The practice manager of Windale Community Medical Centre, where Dr Hogbin previously worked, said the community was shocked by his death.
“We are all still in shock about the way we trained him,” she told the Cairns Post.
‘I have many employees who are having a hard time at the moment.’
The crocodile was shot dead by park rangers at 2pm on Monday, after which the carcass was handed over to police and the contents of its stomach were examined.
Queensland police released a statement on Tuesday saying human remains had been found inside the predator.
“A formal identification process is underway but it is believed the remains are those of a missing 40-year-old NSW man,” a statement said.
‘Further tests will be conducted to determine a positive identity. The search and rescue operation has been suspended.
‘Police are working with conservationists as the investigation continues.’
Disturbing footage has emerged showing people feeding crocodiles upstream from where Dr Hogbin was dragged down by a ‘large crocodile’
This comes after disturbing videos have emerged on social media showing people throwing fish or meat scraps into the water to wait for crocodiles upstream from where the father was abducted.
“Is that the big one?” a man was heard to ask.
“Yes. He’s quite big,” another person replied.
“Oh, there are two of them!” a woman exclaimed.
A child was then heard shouting “attack” just before a crocodile surfaced and snapped at the food thrown into the water.
Another video showed a crocodile swimming to the water’s edge and eating a large fish on the riverbank.
“What a pig,” the woman said. “I think he just said ‘thank you.'”
It is not known when the video was taken, but feeding is believed to have taken place at the Annan River in Cooktown.
A department of Queensland for Environment and Science said he was “very concerned” about the videos.
“It is illegal to feed crocodiles in Queensland and anyone with information about the deliberate feeding of crocodiles is encouraged to call 1300 130 372 and report the information. Reports can be made anonymously,” a spokesperson said.
Dr. Hogbin was attacked by a crocodile in front of his wife and children at the Annan River, south of Cooktown (pictured is a baited crocodile trap placed in the water)
‘If you feed crocodiles on the bank of a river or on a boat ramp, they will hang around longer and wait for their next meal.
‘This puts future visitors to the area at much greater risk of attack when approaching or entering the water.
‘People should never feed crocodiles or allow them access to food or fish scraps.’
According to the department, crocodiles, which have existed for millions of years, are able to forage for themselves thanks to their highly developed sense of smell.
It added that the crocodile that dragged the father underwater “has a distinctive marking on its snout.”
The site where Dr. Hogbin was attacked is a known habitat for the reptiles.
A Cooktown resident claimed the crocodile associated humans with food because locals fed it roadkill further upstream.
“People throw a dead animal into the water for it to eat. It could be that the animal has been sitting there 15 feet under water waiting for food,” they told the Cairns Post.
‘We’ve had a little rain, so the bank is soft. Even if he wasn’t at the edge, the bank could still go under him.
“It’s just terrible and everyone is with the family. It’s unthinkable to see something like this happen before your eyes.”
Police declined to comment on suspicions that people in the area were feeding crocodiles.