German lost in Australian outback 'beyond grateful' to be found
She was spotted by a driver and airlifted to a hospital in Perth, where she is recovering.Ms Wilga thanked the medical staff, German consulate and all the people who had helped search for her, in a statement to Western Australia Police posted on Instagram."I want to express a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart – a thank you that truly comes from the depth of my soul," she said."Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there," Ms Wilga added.She said she "lost control of the car and rolled down a slope", hitting her head "significantly" in the subsequent crash. "As a result of the accident, I left my car in a state of confusion and got lost," she added."Previously, I didn't know where my place was in a culture on the other side of the world to my own, but now, I feel a part of it. I am deeply impressed by the courage, helpfulness, and warmth that has been shown to me here."Western Australia has taught me what it really means to be part of a true community. Here, humanity, solidarity, and care for one another are what truly matter – and in the end, that's what counts most."She was found walking barefoot by motorist Tania Henley - whom Ms Wilga described as her "saviour and angel" - more than 30km away from where she had abandoned her van, on a scarcely used track north of Beacon.
Ms Henley told Australia's public broadcaster ABC that she saw Ms Wilga waving by the side of the road, and she appeared to be in a "fragile state", suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, insect bites and an injured foot. "Everything in this bush is very prickly. I just can't believe that she survived. She had no shoes on, she'd wrapped her foot up," Ms Henley said.Before her rescue, Ms Wilga was last seen at a general store in the town of Beacon, Western Australia, in her van on 29 June."I am certain that I survived only thanks to this incredible outpouring of support," she 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," she said. The rescue was down to "sheer luck", acting police inspector Jessica Securo said in a news conference.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Dad of British backpacker murdered in the Aussie outback makes urgent plea to his killer - who has just hours to live
The father of Peter Falconio has made a desperate plea to his son's killer Bradley John Murdoch to confess where he dumped the body before he dies. On July 14, 2001, British backpacker Peter Falconio and his then-girlfriend Joanne Lees were driving between Alice Springs and Darwin in their VW Kombi campervan. Murdoch signalled at their car, instructing the pair to pull over on the Stuart Highway, north of Barrow Creek. Once stopped, Murdoch shot Peter in the head and tried to abduct Ms Lees, but she miraculously escaped. Murdoch was found guilty in the NT Supreme Court in 2005 and was sentenced to life in prison, but he never divulged the whereabouts of Peter's body. Last month, it was revealed the now 76-year-old was dying from throat cancer and had been transferred out of jail and to palliative care at Alice Springs Hospital. Prison insiders told Daily Mail Australia the former hulking brute is just a shrunken shadow of his former self as he sees out his final hours in his hospital deathbed. He 'is acknowledging people are there, but very limited in talking,' the insider said. Peter's dad, Luciano Falconio has broken his silence on the 24th anniversary of his son's murder after hearing reports Murdoch has 'a couple of days to live'. The 83-year-old made a heartbreaking plea for a deathbed confession so that he and his wife can finally bury their son more than two decades after his death. 'It is very significant, I wish I could find him and make an end to it, bury him.... I know what happened but I don't know where he is,' Mr Falconio told News Corp. 'I still hope, yeah I still hope, but I don't know, if we (will) live long enough.' Murdoch has always denied killing Peter and protested his innocence throughout the murder trial. After arriving in Australia via Southeast Asia, Peter and Ms Lees visited Uluru and Alice Springs before driving 200km north to the Ti-Tree Roadhouse to watch the sunset. They set off again, bound for the tourist attraction Devil's Marbles, before noticing a white 4WD with a green canopy following them. Behind the wheel was Murdoch, who persuaded the pair to pull over at about 7.30pm after signalling there were flames supposedly coming from the back of their van. Murdoch shot Peter in the head when he exited the van before threatening Ms Lees into the back of his vehicle. Murdoch bound Ms Lees hands behind her back with cable tie restraints and bundled her into the back of his van. While Murdoch disposed of Peter's body, Ms Lees managed to escape from under the canopy before hiding in bushland for five hours. At about 1am, believing Murdoch had given up looking for her, she came out and stopped a passing road train, whose driver took her to Barrow Creek Roadhouse. The only trace of Peter was a small bloodstain on the asphalt of the highway where the shooting took place. Murdoch was arrested shortly after being acquitted in South Australia over the abduction and rape of a 12-year-old girl. During his trial, Murdoch disputed the DNA evidence found on Ms Lees' T-shirt and on the gearstick of the couple's van - which was found dumped about 80 metres into the bushes off the highway near Barrow Creek the morning after the murder. Despite extensive searches, including a five-day operation in 2019 when police emptied an outback well, Peter's final resting place remains a mystery. Peter's dad, Luciano Falconio (pictured with his wife Joan) has made a desperate plea for Murdoch to make a deathbed confession on the whereabouts of his son's body so that he and his wife can bury him Speaking from their home in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, Mr Falconio said he and his wife, Joan, have been tormented for years not knowing where their son is. 'It is important (to find Peter)...but we won't find anything today. It's 20-odd years so it's (the feeling is) not particularly any different,' Mr Falconio said. Mr Falconio also said he had no ill-will towards Australians, thanking them for their support over the years. A reward of up to $500,000 has been offered for information leading to the location of Peter's body. Acting Commander Mark Grieve made the announcement on June 25 that an additional $250,000 was added to the reward already on offer. 'NT police still hold out hope someone may be able to assist in… this search,' Acting Commander Grieve said. 'A fresh reward for information (on the case) up to $500,000 for information that leads to the discovery of Peter's body.' Despite almost two decades since Mr Falconio's death, Mr Grieve said it was 'never too late to reach out and start that conversation with police'.
Times
8 hours ago
- Times
Search for British hiker missing for five days in Italian Alps
A search is under way in the Italian Alps for a British hiker who has been missing for five days after texting a friend that he was lost. Matthew Hall, a telecoms engineer from Hull, was trekking alone near Chiavenna, north of Lake Como and close to the Swiss border, when he sent his last known message saying that he had lost his trail. 'We are concerned because there are plenty of dangerous gullies and ravines in that area,' said one of the 20 police rescuers and volunteers now combing the area, assisted by a helicopter. Hall, 33, asked for local directions at the bed and breakfast he was staying at in Chiavenna at 10am on July 8 and was not seen again by staff, but his absence was only reported to local police by the owner on Saturday, four days later, after he failed to show up to check out on Friday.
Daily Mail
12 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Police reveal exactly how little girl fell from Disney Dream cruise ship before her heroic father saved her
The Florida Sheriff's Office has revealed just how a young girl managed to fall from a Disney cruise ship and into the ocean during a family vacation. The officials have stated that during the June 29 incident, the five-year-old had been sitting on a railing when she lost her balance and fell into the ocean from the fourth deck of the ship. According to their investigation, the father didn't see the incident that Sunday at all, and only learned that his daughter had fallen after his wife alerted him to the situation. The report debunks online speculation that she'd been placed on the railing by her dad so that he could take photos of her. Once notified that his daughter had gone overboard, the heroic dad jumped into the swift ocean water, saving her from certain death. People were horrified to hear that a little girl had gone overboard on Disney's $900 million luxury cruise ship as it sailed between the Bahamas and Fort Lauderdale. Clearing up the vicious accusations about the father's alleged negligence, the Broward Sheriff's Office said that the girl had lost her balance and fallen 'backwards through a porthole' all on her own. 'After the girl's mother alerted her husband, who didn't see the incident, he jumped into the ocean to save his daughter,' the Sheriff's Office said. Onlookers said they heard the mother screaming in terror and saying 'she's five and can't swim,' and alerting her husband. Fellow passenger Monica Shannon told the Daily Mail that, 'the parents were playing shuffleboard and the girl was climbing on the railings... and as she went to climb up again she flew off.' She said that it was a very windy day and the small child could have easily been blown from the ship with a large gust of wind. Detectives said the 37-year-old quickly dove overboard, found his daughter, and tread water for 20 minutes as hundreds of passengers watched. Both the father and the daughter were successfully rescued and brought back on board. The captain later made an announcement to inform passengers of the incident. Disney Cruise Lines commended the rescue team for their bravery and hard work: 'The crew aboard the Disney Dream swiftly rescued two guests from the water. We commend our crew members for their exceptional skills and prompt actions, which ensured the safe return of both guests to the ship within minutes. 'We are committed to the safety and well-being of our guests, and this incident highlights the effectiveness of our safety protocols.' Daily Mail reached out to the Broward Sheriff's Office for comment.
