A British fisherman who was working on a trawler off the northern Australian coast has died after being bitten by a sea snake.
The 23-year-old man, who has not been identified, was bitten on Thursday as he was pulling in a net in a remote part of the Northern Territory Coast.
He died before a rescue helicopter could reach him.
Sea snakes are highly venomous but are not aggressive, so humans are rarely bitten by them in Australian waters.
A Spokesperson for Careflight David Wheeldon said a rescue helicopter with a medical team was sent from the city of Darwin but the crew was informed during the flight of more than 700 km that they were too late.
St. John Ambulance spokesman Craig Garraway said there was little that emergency services could do to help the man in such a remote location. Garraway estimated the victim died within two hours of being bitten.
The man was officially declared dead when the trawler reached the coastal town of Borroloola, police said.
The British High Commission had been informed, police said.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)
