Carolina Wilga, a 26-year-old German backpacker, has been located alive after being missing for nearly two weeks in the remote outback of Western Australia. Police had been intensely searching an area approximately 200 miles from Perth, near where her van was discovered.
Discovery and Rescue
Ms. Wilga was last seen on June 29 at a general store in Beacon, a remote wheat farming town located 200 miles northeast of Perth. Her friends and family had been unable to contact her since then. The discovery of her van on Thursday in the wilderness of the Karroun Hill Nature Reserve, about 60 miles north of Beacon, helped focus the search efforts.
On Friday night, WA Police confirmed the good news that Ms. Wilga had been found “safe and well.” Inspector Martin Glynn reported that a member of the public located Carolina on a bushtrack at the edge of the nature reserve.
“She’s been located walking on a bushtrack on the edge of the reserve from which she was missing and she’s been recovered by a member of the public – which was fantastic,” Inspector Glynn stated. “Obviously she would have covered a lot of ground in that time as she tried to make her way out of there.”
Recovery and Health
After being found, Ms. Wilga was taken to Beacon and then flown to a hospital in Perth for medical attention. Inspector Glynn noted that she had experienced “trauma” over the past few days, and while still “fragile,” she would likely have a “remarkable story” to tell.
“She does have some injuries. She’s been ravaged by mosquitoes. She’s obviously been through an amazing journey, a trauma no doubt will be a testimony to demonstrating her bravery in those circumstances out there,” he added.
Inspector Glynn expressed immense relief at the positive outcome, highlighting the hostile environment of the outback. “It’s just a great outcome for everyone involved. She’s obviously coped in some amazing conditions. There’s a very hostile environment out there, both from flora and fauna. It’s a really, really challenging environment to cope in.”
Challenging Conditions and Previous Efforts
Western Australia Police Force Acting Inspector Jessica Securo had previously emphasized the difficult search conditions in the Outback country, characterized by large rocky outcrops and numerous tracks that can easily lead to disorientation. Overnight temperatures in the area had dropped to 2.6C with no rain.
Carolina’s van, a 1995 Mitsubishi Delica Star Wagon, was found 22 miles from any major tracks. The van, equipped with solar panels and reserves of drinking water, also had recovery boards under its rear wheels, which are used to gain traction in bogged vehicles. While it’s unclear if the van became bogged or broke down, Acting Inspector Securo surmised that Ms. Wilga likely “became lost and then the car has suffered mechanical issues.”
Ms. Wilga had been traveling in Australia for two years, working at various Western Australian mine sites. Her mother, Katja Will, who resides in Germany, had made a public appeal for help in locating her daughter.
