Featured Image Credit: Nine News
Topics: Australia, Travel, World News
Joshua Nair
A 26-year-old backpacker has been found in Australia, nearly two weeks after being reported missing.
Carolina Wilga, a German backpacker, was found alive in a Western Australian bushland by local police, who told reporters on Friday (11 July) that she was walking on a bush track at the reserve where she first vanished.
She was discovered at the Karroun Hill Nature Reserve, 60 miles north of the town of Beacon, where she was last seen in a general store, reports Sky.
Western Australian police officer Martin Glynn explained to the media that she had 'been through a great deal', describing the situation as traumatic for the traveller.
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At 7.30pm AEST today, Wilga was airlifted to a Perth hospital for medical attention, after sustaining injuries and being 'ravaged by mosquitoes'.
Glynn also praised her 'bravery', given the tough circumstances when speaking to the media in what he called an 'amazing journey' for the 26-year-old, who is now safe.
Police carried out a 'reflex search' in a 300-metre radius of the van to gather evidence, as Wilga last contacted friends on 29 June before travelling to Toodyay and Dowerin, towns southwest of Beacon.
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Acting Inspector Jessica Securo spoke to ABC News before Wilga was found, admitting that it's easy for people unfamiliar with the area to lose their bearings.
“The terrain is outback country and there are large, rocky outcrops,” Securo said.
“So although there’s a number of tracks, you can see how it would be easy to become lost or disorientated in that area if you didn’t know it well.”
Just yesterday (10 July), police reported the discovery of the German's abandoned Mitsubishi van, located 150km from Beacon, Karroun Hill, an area known to be remote.
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The van was 35km from any main tracks, as officers investigated what Wilga could have been able to carry with her after leaving the vehicle.
Securo explained: “It appears that as she was driving, she’s likely to [have] become lost, and then the car has suffered mechanical issues … and [she] has potentially walked away from her vehicle.”
While the van had solar panels and water, the mechanical damages to it meant it was unable to be used.
Glynn said in a media conference prior to Wilga being found that the 'vehicle was bogged' as a result of her trying to recover the van.
He went on: “She’d used Maxtrax and pieces of wood to try to free the vehicle from its location, but unfortunately was unsuccessful,” adding that police believed she left her vehicle after not being able to salvage it.
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While authorities were unsure how far she'd got from her vehicle at the time, the police officer said it was thought that she'd gone some distance from the van.
Wilga's family were contacted after she was found, as police thanked the Australian community for helping them with retrieving information in their search.
He didn't specify if the backpacker spoke to police, highlighting that while she steered clear of any serious injuries, she sustained 'a lot of significant minor injuries'.
Calling her story 'remarkable', he said that she had 'coped in some amazing conditions', overcoming 'a very hostile environment'.
The land down under is in its winter months, meaning that temperatures dropped as low as 0°C at night time.
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Glynn added: “You’re always so hopeful with these missing person situations.
“It’s really quite traumatic because you obviously always go out with the best of hope that you will find the person … It’s just a great outcome for everyone involved.”
Her friends have since spoken to local outlet The West Australian, admitting that they 'can’t wait' for a pub reunion with their mate.