Crocodile fears over man who went swimming in Australian river at night

65-year-old Standley Charlie has been missing for 10 days

The Endeavour River is known for its high number of crocodiles (SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Police fear that a 65-year old man who has gone missing in an Australian river has been attacked by crocodiles.

Stanley Charlie went missing on 20 May in the Endeavour River in northern Queensland, Australia. The river is well-known for its high number of crocodiles.

The fact he went swimming at night has only added to their fears, as crocodiles are mostly nocturnal.

A Queensland Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia: "The river is well known to have crocodiles in it and he was swimming in the water at night."

He is believed to have gone swimming at around 11PM, having been last seen on a yacht that was moored in the river.

He is described as Aboriginal, around 170cm tall with a slim build, short grey heair, a full long beard and brown eyes.

It is believed that he may have been swimming towards the mangrove plants. Police and family have asked that anyone who may have seen him exiting the patch of mangroves near Adelaide Street in Cooktown during the early hours of 21 May to contact the local police.

A similar case occurred in the area in 2008, when Arthur Booker went missing while on holiday. He woke up and went to the riverside to check his crab pots. He never returned, and police believe he was attacked by a crocodile.