Police say crocodile may have killed British snorkeler in northern Australia

Police in northern Australia launched a hunt Monday for a four-meter (13-foot) crocodile believed to have attacked and killed a British snorkeler.

The body of 37-year-old mine superintendent Russell Harris was discovered Sunday morning in a creek on the island of Groote Eylandt off Australia's northern coast. Police said Monday they suspected a crocodile attack but that this wasn't confirmed. They didn't say why it took a day to reveal this suspicion.

"Police advise the community that the crocodile may still be in the area and to take extra precautions if venturing into the waters around Groote Eylandt," acting police senior Sgt. Stephen Pfitzner said.

Authorities were due to carry out an autopsy on Harris' body in the northern port city of Darwin later Monday.

Harris had been snorkeling Saturday with another man off rocks near Picnic Beach on the island, which is home mainly to local Aborgines but also has a large manganese mine operated by Anglo-British mining group BHP Billiton, where Harris had been working.

The company was arranging to fly members of Harris' family, and that of his American wife, to Darwin, AP reported.