Updated June 15, 2016 1:51 p.m. PT

Officials have recovered the body of a two-year-old boy who had been dragged into the water near Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa by an alligator on Tuesday night.

The boy was attacked Tuesday as he waded in shallow water at the edge of the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney's Grand Floridian resort. His father had unsuccessfully tried to wrestle the animal to save him.

2-year-old Lane Graves body has been sent to medical examiner @OrangeCoSheriff — Angela Taylor WESH (@AngelaWESH) June 15, 2016

Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings identified the boy as Lane Graves of Elkhorn, Nebraska.

The search team grew to 50 people Wednesday as trappers and divers searched Disney's network of man-made canals, ponds and lakes. At least five other alligators were caught and cut open before they found the killer.

Earlier Wednesday morning, during a news conference, sheriff's department spokesman Jeff Williamson said the effort was still considered a "search and rescue operation" and they were "hopeful." But by the afternoon, hope had dissipated. An autopsy is to be performed on the boy's body by a medical examiner.

Police putting up yellow tape outside of The Grand Floridian directly across from Magic Kingdom in Orlando... pic.twitter.com/yBQc3r4hcG — ChristianTheMagician (@Menardness) June 15, 2016

A helicopter circled the Seven Seas Lagoon late into the night, even as the Walt Disney World fireworks went off in the distance, according to witnesses who shared images on social media. Police also cordoned off the search area.

Live from "#polynesianvillageresort #hellicopter going to #grandfloridianresort "#wdw #disneyparks #waltdisneyworld A video posted by Allison (@allisondavies1) on Jun 14, 2016 at 8:18pm PDT

The sick contrast of events... pic.twitter.com/lNelCyD4ki — ChristianTheMagician (@Menardness) June 15, 2016

The boy was dragged into the water around 9:30 p.m. ET Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. The attack happened in an area of the lagoon that had "No Swimming" signs posted, according to Demings. The alligator was estimated to be 4 to 7 feet long but its exact size isn't known.

Mashable has reached out to Walt Disney World for more information.

UPDATES

June 15, 2016, 12:19 p.m. BST: Added statement from sheriff's department.

June 15, 2016, 4:51 p.m. ET: Added information about recovery of the body, planned autopsy.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press.

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