Grim discovery in search for missing girl feared taken in Mango Creek crocodile attack

A shirt belonging to a 12-year-old girl feared taken by a crocodile has been found.

The young girl was last seen swimming at Mango Creek, in the remote Northern Territory community of Nganmarriyanga, 360km south-west of Darwin, and was reported missing at 5.30pm on Tuesday.

NT Police and members of NT Parks and Wildlife continued the search on Thursday.

Her shirt was found upstream of where she disappeared. 

Police Minister Brent Potter confirmed on Wednesday the search had shifted to the recovery stage.

Mr Potter added the team was also authorised to 'remove the crocodile from the area' to safely continue the search.

'They do an amazing piece of work, those officers are also divers and they do go into croc-infested waters as required,' Mr Potter told Northern Territory News.

'It's probably safe to say we're in the recovery stage.'

Nganmarriyanga, formerly known as Palumpa, is a remote Aboriginal community in the Daly River region of the Northern Territory. 

It is situated between the communities of Peppimenarti and Wadeye. 

On Wednesday afternoon NT Police Senior Sergeant Erica Gibson said the child and her family were swimming at the creek, which is just over kilometres from Nganmarriyanga.

Much of the access to the region is on unsealed road. 

Sgt Gibson said the search involved boats, a police vessel and a helicopter, with support from police officers from Peppimenarti, Daly River and Wadeye.

She said the missing girl's family and friends were 'extremely distressed'.

'There are a number of community members who have attended from outlying homelands and communities around Palumpa,' she said.

'They are all onsite supporting the close family involved in this incredibly tragic incident.'

more to come