Boy taken by crocodile

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New Zealand police in the Solomon Islands are searching for a five-metre-long crocodile that has taken a seven-year-old boy.

The Solomon Star newspaper says the boy was taken near Savana village, Vonavona lagoon in the Western Province.

He was out swimming with two eight-year-old boys when they spotted the crocodile, the head of Solomons Police, New Zealander Peter Marshall, said.

Two boys climbed up a rock wharf and escaped, but the third was not so lucky.

"The two were able to clamber up the rock wharf, but the seven-year-old unfortunately slipped off the rocks, fell back into the water and was caught by the crocodile," he said.

People watching nearby saw the crocodile, believed to be the same one that took two people previously, take the youngster away.

Solomon Islanders used to control crocodile numbers with their own weapons, but in the late 1990s the Solomons was caught up in ethnic violence which saw an Australian lead Regional Assistance Mission (RAMSI) restore order.

As part of the process most guns were surrendered, leaving the population vulnerable.

Mr Marshall said police from Munda with RAMSI's Participating Police Force (PPF) conducted a search to try and locate the body or the crocodile but were unsuccessful.

"Our thoughts are with the family of the boy and we will do all we can to recover the body and return it to the family for proper burial."

Around 30 New Zealand police serve with the PPF.

- © Fairfax NZ News