A young woman is lucky to be alive after she was mauled by a crocodile in West Australia.



Tara Hawkes, 23, had just disembarked the luxury vessel on which she was a crew member, and was walking through shallow waters in Talbot Bay in the remote Kimberley region when she was grabbed by a crocodile from behind.



Several quick-thinking passengers grabbed onto Hawkes in an attempt to free her from the crocodile's jaws, engaging in a tug-of-war with the large crocodile.



They managed to drag her free from the grips of the two-metre crocodile and drag her safely to shore.



She received several wounds to her hips and legs in the attack, but was lucky to escape serious injury.



She was taken to Derby Hospital via the company's helicopter where her wounds were treated.



Hawkes was working on board the luxury vessel True North, where she was believed to have only been working for a short time.



She is now recovering in hospital and is in a stable condition.



Sister Nelly Hawkes last night posted on Tara's Facebook page a message of reassurance to her friends.



"Thanks everyone for your thoughts! things are looking up and she will be on the road to recovery soon x"



Peter Trembath of North Star Cruises, the vessel's operator, said in a statement that the attack happened at a swimming hole that was only waist deep.



"Crew members checked the pool before entering the water, however they did not detect the crocodile which was estimated to be two metres in length."



Trembath said Hawkes was bitten while getting out of the water.



A Department of Environment and Conservation spokesman said the department had put out a warning to tourist operators not to let people swim in the area because it was believed the crocodile was still there.



He said it was not known if the animal was a freshwater or a saltwater crocodile but the attack took place in fresh water.



He said freshwater crocodiles would usually attack only if people seriously disturbed them.



A wildlife officer was on the way to the scene of the attack and the department says was is assessing options to deal with the crocodile.



Hawkes has been flooded with messages of love and support since the attack on Sunday, with many friends in disbelief that she managed to escape with such minor injuries.



Hawkes has declined to speak to the media about the incident, and the Hawkes family have also declined to make a statement on her behalf.



Her family have flown to Derby from Busselton to be by her side as she recovers.

- WA Today and AAP