Identity Revealed of 19-Year-Old Canadian Woman Found Dead on Tourist Beach Surrounded by Wild Dogs By Escher Walcott

The 19-year-old woman found dead while surrounded by a pack of wild dogs in Australia has been identified as Canadian Piper James.

A 19-year-old woman was found dead, surrounded by approximately 10 dingoes, Australia’s native wild dogs. She was discovered on the beach north of Maheno Wreck on the Queensland island of K’gari at around 6.30 a.m. local time on Monday, Jan. 19, Wide Bay District Inspector Paul Algie previously announced in a press conference. 

Two men driving south near Orchid Beach spotted “a large pack of dingos” near an “object” which they quickly realized was a body, and the police were called to the scene, said Algie.

The woman has been confirmed as tourist Piper James. She had been on vacation with her friends before she was found unresponsive near Maheno Wreck, part of Seventy Five Mile Beach, News.com.au and 9News Australia reported.

James had been living with her friend Taylor Strecker on K’gari for six weeks and working at a backpackers’ hostel. She had gone for a swim at around 5 a.m., before her body was found around an hour later, per 9News Australia.

Algie confirmed that the body had injuries “consistent with having been touched and interfered with by the dingoes.” The police added that among the injuries were “defensive wounds,” per News.com.au.

“We simply can’t confirm whether this young lady drowned or died as a result of being attacked by dingoes,” Algie said at the press conference. 

The Queensland Police are investigating the incident.

A post-mortem examination is scheduled to determine the cause of death in mainland Queensland, per 9News Australia.

“At the moment it’s a police matter and our response to any risk mitigation is increased patrols in the area,” Senior Ranger at the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and Partnerships, Linda Behrendorff, told 9 News Australia.

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If the death is ruled as a result of a dingo attack, this would mark the first fatality from an attack in Australia in 25 years, per 9News Australia.

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour told the outlet that there have been “an escalating number of attacks” in the past five years and said that he is “not surprised” by this incident.

PEOPLE has reached out to the Queensland Police for comment, but didn’t immediately receive a response.