A man who was found dead in the South Australian Outback last week may have been bitten by a snake.
The mother of Melbourne man, Dan Kowalski, told the Sunday Mail that police found a note near her son’s abandoned ute that said “I’ve been bitten by a snake.”
Mr Kowalski’s mother Vera, said the note, written in pencil on a piece of cardboard, was found on a tree near the vehicle. She said early investigations appeared to suggest that her son had become bogged on a sandy desert track 95km south of Coober Pedy.
“There were sticks under the tyres and on the track,’’ Ms Kowalski said. “He had been trying to turn the car around and it got stuck.”
It’s thought that Mr Kowalski was bitten as he was trying to gather sticks to put under the wheels for traction. The body of the 27-year-old plumber was discovered last Friday 340 metres from his ute. The vehicle was in harsh scrub about 4km off the main highway. It’s not clear why Mr Kowalski had diverted on to the isolated road or how long his car had been at the location.
Mr Kowalski was last seen on December 13 when he told friends he was heading to Darwin for a fishing trip.
Police would not confirm if Mr Kowalski was bitten by a snake or if his vehicle had become bogged.
I am terrified of snakes. I step heavily, don’t atep over logs and try and keep my wits about me. We have a basic first aid kit and know what to do in case of snake bite. But this story scares the heck out of me! We leave in less than 3 weeks on the same trip that man was doing!
I am terrified of snakes. I step heavily, don’t step over logs and try and keep my wits about me. We have a basic first aid kit and know what to do in case of snake bite. But this story scares the heck out of me! We leave in less than 3 weeks on the same trip that man was doing!
My sympathy and condolences to his family and friends, we all have lost a great young Australian.
I have travelled many time off the beaten track and one has to be aware constantly of the dangers … soft sand, snakes, etc. … inexperience is also a danger out there … it is a real “must” to have the correct gear if travelling off road in our deserts …