Canadian backpacker Piper James died “as a result of drowning” following a dingo attack at K’gari , the Queensland coroners court says.
The court on Friday said Piper’s cause of death had been determined by a forensic pathologist and accepted by the investigating coroner.
“Piper died as a result of drowning in the setting of multiple injuries, due to, or as a consequence of a dingo attack,” a spokesperson for the court said.
“The investigation into Piper’s death is ongoing, and no further information can be provided at this time.”
The 19-year-old’s trip to Australia ended in tragedy when she was found dead on a beach in January on the world heritage-listed island formerly known as Fraser Island off the Queensland coast.
The coroners court said in January that the autopsy had found “physical evidence consistent with drowning and injuries consistent with dingo bites”.
“Pre-mortem dingo bite marks are not likely to have caused immediate death. There are extensive post-mortem dingo bite marks. There is no evidence that any other person was involved.”
It had been speculated that James could have entered the water to escape dingoes before drowning.
K’gari is home to about 150 human inhabitants and a population of dingoes genetically distinct from those on mainland Australia.
Violent dingo and human interactions have been increasing in recent years. In 2023, a pack of three dingoes rushed and bit a woman who was jogging along a beach. She ran into the ocean to escape.
A dingo was shot and killed with a spear gun in 2024, and several others were put down after attacking people.
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