The family of a 12-year-old boy taken by a crocodile in a Northern Territory billabong has been “shattered” by the incident.

The boy was swimming with friends at a billabong near Jabiru at Kakadu National Park on Sunday when he was attacked by a saltwater crocodile.

Another boy, also 12, was bitten by a crocodile during the incident, police say.

The pair were swimming in the billabong with a number of other young boys when the attack occurred.

An extensive land and air search on Sunday and Monday failed to locate the missing boy.

His aunt told the NT News the family and small community where the boy lived were devastated by what had happened.

“We are a very big family and a very close family,” the boy’s aunt told the NT News.

“Everyone is shattered.”

Northern Territory police killed two crocodiles on Monday during the ongoing search for the boy, but neither reptile had anything in its stomach.

The search is expected to continue Tuesday.