Australian Department of Defence might be fined after two soldiers mauled by crocodile

Australia’s Department of Defence could be fined AUD1.5 million after they failed to train their personnel after two soldiers were mauled by a crocodile. The announcement by the federal government’s workplace watchdog, Comcare, comes on August 11. Australia’s Department of Defence has been charged under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, reported the Guardian. 

Aussie Department of Defence might be fined 

According to the allegations, the defence has failed to offer a safe workplace by implementing policies prohibiting personnel from entering crocodile-infested waters. They have also not conducted risk assessments and failed to provide detailed safety briefings about the dangers of crocodiles. 

According to the Guardian, if the Australian Defence Department is found guilty, then they could be fined a maximum of AUD 1.5 million. Meanwhile, according to the spokesperson of the defence, the department has been grateful who were involved in the rescue mission but would not be making any comment while the matter was before the courts. 

“The safety of our people is paramount in all activities and critical to our mission of defending Australia and its national interests,” said the spokesperson in a statement on Friday.

Crocodile incident in North Queensland

The incident took place in August 2021 Darwin-based army soldiers were transporting a landing craft from Darwin to Townsville for maintenance, as per the Comcare.  The order was allegedly given to the soldiers, a man in his 20s and a man in his early 30s, who went fishing at the Cape York Peninsula community of Portland Road in an inflatable defence boat, called a Zodiac. The coastal fishing village is about 750km north of Cairns and is known as crocodile territory.

While sharing the details of the incident the federal government’s workplace watchdog shared that the boat was docked and the soldiers began swimming. Moments later, the man in his 20s was dragged underwater and mauled by a 2.5-metre saltwater crocodile. While the other allegedly fought off the crocodile. However, the two men managed to get on the boat, reported the Guardian. In this horrifying incident, both men had suffered significant injuries, including bite and claw wounds, according to Comcare.