Backpacker breaks silence after found alive following 12 days in Australian outback
German tourist Carolina Wilga was found alive in Australia's Outback after an "incredible outpouring of support" 12 days after she went missing.
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A German backpacker, 26, was found alive in the remote outback after a car crash and head injury left her disoriented for 11 days.
She was seen at a general store in the farming village of Beacon, 200 miles north east of the Western Australia state capital Perth. Beacon had a population of 123 during the 2021 census.
A member of the public found Carolina Wilga wandering on a forest trail late on Friday, Western Australia Police Force Inspector Martin Glynn said.
“I am certain that I survived only thanks to this incredible outpouring of support," Ms Wilga said.
“The thought of all the people who believed in me, searched for me, and kept hoping for me gave me the strength to carry on during my darkest moments.”
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“Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there,” she added
“The answer is: I lost control of the car and rolled down a slope. In the crash, I hit my head significantly. As a result of the accident, I left my car in a state of confusion and got lost.”
The crew of a police helicopter spotted her van on Thursday in wilderness in the Karroun Hill Nature Reserve, 22 miles north of Beacon, Mr Glynn said.
"Very difficult country. Huge area. So it's a miracle they've actually spotted the car, to be honest," Mr Glynn told reporters before she was found.
When found, she was in a "fragile" state but had no serious injuries and was flown to a hospital in Perth for treatment, Mr Glynn told reporters.
"I think once we do hear her story, it will be a remarkable story," Mr Glynn said, adding it was a "great result" for the backpacker's family and those involved in the search.
"You know, she's obviously coped in some amazing conditions," he said. "There's a very hostile environment out there, both from flora and fauna. It's a really, really challenging environment to cope in."
The reserve where Ms Wilga was lost covers more than 300,000 hectares. The Thursday-Friday overnight temperature was 2.6C in the area with no rain.
Ground searchers on Friday scoured a heavily wooded radius of 300 metres beyond the van. Police assume Ms Wilga's van, a 1995 Mitsubishi Delica Star Wagon, became stuck in mud on the day she left Beacon, Mr Glynn said.
The van, which has solar panels and reserves of drinking water, had recovery boards under its rear wheels that are used to give vehicles traction when they are stuck.
Police believed Ms Wilga became lost and was not the victim of crime.
Australian serial killer Ivan Milat, who died in prison in 2019, notoriously kidnapped and murdered seven backpackers from 1989 to 1992 including three Germans, two Britons and two Australians.