Police found Tuesday the body of a missing barge master off Cape York peninsula in the northern tip of Queensland.

The body of David Fordson, 49, bore marine animal bite marks when it was retrieved from remote waters near Bushie Islet, six kilometres from the Queensland coast. An autopsy is still being conducted to determine the cause of death.

Speculations are that Fordson was attacked and killed by either a crocodile or shark while he was spear fishing with a colleague on Monday.

The colleague, a crew of the Torres Star barge that Fordson skippers, alerted authorities when he failed to return to their moored boat. An aerial and sea search was conducted that initially found the victim's spear gun and dive float.

Far North Police Inspector Mark Jackson said there is no known crocodile attack in the area where Fordson's body was found because it is a shipping channel, according to Sky News.

University of Queensland research biologist Hamish Campbell suspects that Fordson was attacked by a bull shark. A Cape York local, Paul Munro, said there is a 14-foot crocodile in the sandy cay of Bushy Island, according to Courier Mail.

Fordson's employer, David Slimming of Silent world, said the victim left a 16-year-old child.

The body of missing barge captain David Fordson was found in remote waters of Cape York, Queensland.