Coroner finds missing radio host was killed by croc

Thursday, 18 September 2025 15:31

Roman Butchaski was last seen in November 2023 on a fishing trip.

A former radio host who went missing in Far North Queensland has been fondly remembered by his colleagues after a coroner found he had most likely been taken and killed by a crocodile.

Roman Butchaski was an avid fisherman and outdoorsman and formerly a host with Nine radio station 2GB, where he presented a fishing show.

The 76-year-old went missing during a fishing trip in the Olive River region of Queensland on November 12, 2023.

Butchaski was last seen at Bramwell station at around 8am, but all that was found of him were his ATV buggy and some possessions.

At the time, two large saltwater crocodiles were known to be in the vicinity of where Butchaski was last seen, and the coroner believes one of them was responsible for his death.

"The fact that no sign of the missing person was located during the extensive and thorough search leads me to suspect the MP has entered the water and has been consumed by a crocodile," coroner Christine Roney said in her findings published on July 30.

"It is highly probable given the fact that there are large crocodiles which inhabit that section of water.

"It is also highly probable given the type of fishing the missing person was doing which involved him getting close to the water's edge and traversing snags in the form of fallen trees and steep banks and flicking small lures as close to these snags as possible."

Roman Butchaski, a former Sydney radio host who went missing in Queensland in 2023.

Despite an eight-day search by authorities, Butchaski could not be located.

Radio host Ben Fordham paid tribute to Butchaski today, saying he was glad closure could be offered to his friends and family.

"It's awful when something terrible happens to anyone, but when you don't know what happened, it's even worse," Fordham said on 2GB.

"So in many ways, we are relieved to know what happened to Butch.

"So to Butch's family who are listening, we're thinking of you guys, and we only hope that you feel the same way that we do that, even though it's not what we want to hear."

Michael Guest, who hosted The Outdoor and Fishing Show with Butchaski, said the coroner's finding was in line with what he suspected.

"It's not until it sort of touches you directly that you actually sort of feel this really strange sort of empty feeling where there's no closure," he told Fordham.

"So it's nice to get some closure through the words of the coroner.

"I agree totally with what she said and it's what I thought happened in the first place, early days."

Guest admitted Butchaski could be "gung ho" and the thrill of a catch sometimes meant risks were taken.

"I think as fishermen we get a bit complacent and especially when the fish are biting," he said.

"It's just one of those things, the hunting instinct, the instinct to catch that big fish sort of takes over and you tend to get a bit closer to the water than you should sometimes."

Butchaski's character was integral to the show's success, his old colleague Guest said.

"He represented the average Joe Blow fisherman so well and asked the right questions and created a really great banter."

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