Canadian Woman Found Dead on K’gari Surrounded by Dingoes

A 19-year-old Canadian woman was discovered dead on K’gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, on Monday morning, surrounded by a pack of dingoes, according to local police. Authorities received a report at approximately 6:35 a.m. local time regarding an unresponsive female near the Maheno Shipwreck area.

Police investigations revealed that the woman had been working at a hostel on the island for six weeks. She informed colleagues that she planned to go for a swim around 5 a.m. on the same day. Her body was located shortly after, and witnesses reported seeing a large pack of dingoes near the beach between 6 a.m. and 6:15 a.m..

Inspector Paul Algie of the Queensland Police stated that the dingoes had interacted with the woman’s body. He noted, “I can confirm that the woman’s body had been touched and interfered with by the dingoes, but we are not speculating yet as to whether that was anything to do with her cause of death.” The police have taken her body to mainland Australia, and family members are being informed.

Authorities are piecing together the events that transpired between 5 a.m. and 6:15 a.m. to understand the circumstances surrounding her death. Algie emphasized the challenging nature of the discovery, describing it as “a very traumatic and horrific scene for them to uncover.”

A postmortem examination has been scheduled for Wednesday, which may provide further insights into the cause of death. Algie remarked, “At this stage, it’s too early to speculate on the cause of death—we simply can’t confirm whether this young lady drowned, or died as a result of being attacked by dingoes.”

Dingoes are native to K’gari and are classified as a protected species. The island is recognized as a wilderness area and holds cultural significance for local First Nations communities.

As investigations continue, Global News has reached out to Global Affairs Canada for additional information regarding the incident, but has yet to receive a response. Further updates are expected following the results of the postmortem examination.