Tourist Found Dead on Popular Beach Near Pack of Wild Dogs

A 19-year-old Canadian tourist was found dead at a popular tourist area surrounded by wild dogs, according to the CBC.

Piper James was found dead on Monday, Jan. 19, at around 6:30 a.m. local time on a beach north located on the island of K’gari in Queensland, Australia. Wide Bay District Inspector Paul Algie revealed at a press conference that James was found surrounded by approximately 10 dingoes, wild dogs native to the country, when her body was discovered by two men who were driving near the beach. Both witnesses reported “a large pack of dingoes” surrounding an “object,” but quickly after stopping to investigate they realized it was James’ body.

Wounds Reportedly 'Consistent' with Dingoes

James was traveling with friends on a six-week backpacking sojourn throughout Australia. She had spent the weeks before her death working at a backpackers’ hostel alongside her friend, Taylor Strecker. On the morning of her death, James left the hostel at around 5 a.m. to go for a swim. She was found dead just over an hour later. Algie confirmed to News.com.au that James suffered injuries “consistent with having been touched and interfered with by the dingoes." She also suffered many “defensive wounds,” authorities said.

Todd James, the victim’s father, told CBC that police have offered three possibilities which could have led to his daughter’s death. She may have drowned while swimming, after which dingoes attacked her remains; dingoes chased her into the water, where she drowned; or she was surrounded and killed by the dingoes while on the beach. A postmortem is scheduled for Wednesday, at which point investigators expect to learn the cause of death.

'She Would Have Fought'

"She was so strong," James said. "She's just a little powerhouse and that's why we know she would have fought so hard."

James was attacked on a part of 75 Mile Beach near the Maheno Wreck, a popular tourist attraction in the region. On Tuesday, the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Partnerships announced that two campsites in the area would be closed until Feb. 28 due to "heightened risk of a habituated dingo pack." “At the moment it’s a police matter and our response to any risk mitigation is increased patrols in the area,” Senior Ranger Linda Behrendorff told 9News Australia.

"The saddest part is she was so looking forward to coming back," James said of his daughter. "She wanted to start her pilot licence, and I was looking forward to sharing that because I'm a pilot, and that was our next step together."