In a harrowing discovery on the Queensland island of K’gari, police officers were left deeply shaken after finding the lifeless body of a 19-year-old Canadian woman, surrounded by ten dingoes. This tragic incident unfolded early this morning.

The young woman had informed friends and colleagues at the backpackers’ hostel, where she was employed, of her plans to go for a swim around 5 a.m. Tragically, her morning swim turned into a nightmare.

According to Wide Bay District Inspector Paul Algie, two men driving near Orchid Beach, just north of the Maheno Shipwreck, noticed a large group of dingoes congregating around an object before 6:30 a.m.

“Upon closer inspection, they realized it was, in fact, a female person at the scene,” Inspector Algie revealed to reporters during an afternoon briefing.

Describing the distressing nature of the scene, Algie noted, “It was obviously a very dramatic and horrific scene for them to uncover.”

While it was confirmed that the dingoes had bitten the woman’s body, the exact cause of death remains unclear at this stage. The investigation into this tragic event continues as authorities work to piece together the circumstances surrounding her untimely death.

“We simply can’t confirm whether this young lady drowned or died as a result of being attacked by dingoes,” he said.

“I can confirm there was markings on her body consistent with having been touched and interfered with by the dingoes.”

The woman’s body was transferred to mainland Queensland this afternoon and will undergo a post-mortem examination. 

Police are working to get in contact with the woman’s family in Canada. 

The woman had been working with a friend from Canada at a backpackers’ on K’gari for the past six weeks.

Algie said her friend has been left “extremely traumatised”. 

He added that police were also “traumatised” and that this incident would have widespread impacts on the entire community.

“They are absolutely horrified and shocked at what’s occurred,” he said.

“We are acutely aware of how deeply this impacts not only the community that live on K’gari, but also the many, many thousands of people that visit there each year.”

Police are working with the local rangers, the Department of Environment and Science and the community to piece together what happened in the hour and a half she was gone.

K’gari locals and visitors are advised to stay away and not to interact with dingoes.

“Dingoes are wild animals, and whilst they are very culturally and significant to the local First Nations people and to the people that live on the island, they are still wild animals and need to be treated as such,” Algie said.