BREAKING NEWS Huge update in hunt for German backpacker who went missing in remote Western Australia two weeks ago
Carolina Wilga, 26, who has spent two years backpacking around Australia working at mine sites and farms, was seen with the van on CCTV at a service station in Toodyay, northeast of Perth, on June 28.
She made contact with friends the next day while travelling near Beacon, in WA's remote Wheatbelt region, and visited a convenience store but then vanished.
Another burnt-out van, stripped of licence plates, was spotted by local man Geoff Roberts 1000km away in Gnaraloo, on the Ningaloo coast, about 11 hours from Ms Wilga's last known location - but it was later revealed to be a different vehicle.
Mr Roberts raised the alarm after seeing the call for information on the Western Australia Police Force Facebook page.
'Very similar vehicle to this one burnt out between Gnaraloo 3 Mile camp and the homestead. Plates have been removed,' he posted on social media, tagging in WA Police.
Police are yet to confirm the link to the missing backpacker, but its discovery has deepened fears for Ms Wilga, who has not been seen or heard from in 11 days.
She was believed to be travelling in the black and silver 1995 Mitsubishi Delica van with WA licence plates 1HDS330 and a distinctive rooftop tent.
Police are yet to confirm the find, but the sinister claim has only deepened fears for the young woman, who has not been seen or heard from in 12 days
Her phone has since been switched off, and investigators say all contact stopped suddenly.
Ms Wilga is described as having a slim build, long frizzy dark blonde hair, brown eyes, and several tattoos, including on her left arm.
She has not been seen or heard from since her last contact with friends in Beacon and the visit to the convenience store.
Homicide detectives have now joined the case, although police say it is not officially a murder investigation 'at this point'.
'We are very concerned for her welfare,' WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said.
'They are investigating - not that it's a homicide at this point, but we want our very best capabilities to investigate something that is very concerning to us.'
The WA Police air wing has also been deployed, with land and aerial searches underway across the vast outback region, with the hunt now spreading across the state.
'This is unexplained behaviour, it's concerning behaviour,' said homicide squad detective senior sergeant Katharine Venn.
'We have information from a wide variety of sources of friends and associates that Carolina was intending to travel throughout regional, remote WA.
'She may have intended to travel over east and so our search area is therefore vast.
'As far as we are concerned, all jurisdictions are aware, there are alerts on her vehicle.
'We're considering information from any state or territory in terms of citing information [about her].'
She added: 'We have air assets - so helicopters and planes have been searching that immediate area of the Wheatbelt around Beacon.'
'That certainly forms a significant part of our search effort, but we are also following up with leads across towns including Albany, Esperance, Margaret River.
'We are taking it very seriously, but it is also possible that Carolina could be traveling in remote WA.
'She could be off-grid, not have access to her phone, and she certainly had capacity in the vehicle she was travelling in to be self-sufficient for quite some time.'
Carolina Wilga, 26, who had spent two years backpacking around Australia working at mine sites, was last seen on June 28 on CCTV at a service station in Toodyay, northeast of Perth
On Thursday, WA Police released new images from CCTV of her last sighting at the Toodyay service station in the WA Wheatbelt region, and were later able to rule out any connection with the burnt out van.
Police said Ms Wilga would routinely contact her family before she vanished, but they last heard from her on June 18. The family now hold grave concerns for her.
Her devastated mother, Katja from Castrop-Rauxel near Dortmund, appealed to the public for help in response to a post shared on social media.
'I'm her mother and need yourhelp, as I can't do much from Germany,' she commented on a social media post.
'Carolina is still sorely missed. If anyone has any information, please contact the police. Please keep your eyes open!'
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
‘Sheer luck': how German backpacker Carolina Wilga was found after 11 nights lost in dense Australian outback
German backpacker Carolina Wilga spent 11 freezing nights lost in the Australian outback, convinced she would never be found. By 'sheer luck' the confused and disoriented 26-year-old came across a road, where she flagged down a woman in a passing car on Friday afternoon. An 'exhausted, dehydrated and hungry' Wilga has spoken to her family, had a good night's sleep, a shower and some food, WA police Acting Det Insp Jessica Securo said on Saturday. 'This is the best result we could have hoped for,' she said. 'We're incredibly grateful that she's been found safe, and obviously this is a huge relief for her family and all of her loved ones. 'We never gave up hope that Carolina would be found safe and well … the support of our WA community is our greatest asset, particularly in a state as vast as ours. 'It's sheer luck. The area out there is mixed terrain. It can be quite dangerous if you don't know what you're doing or where you're going, and it's very easy to get lost.' WA Police confirmed on Friday night that Wilga had been found 'safe and well'. She had been 'ravaged' by mosquitoes, was dehydrated, exhausted, starving and had minor injuries including cuts and bruises, and was airlifted to a Perth hospital. The temperature in the area had dropped down to 0C at night and there was heavy rain. On 29 June, Wilga had visited a shop in Beacon, a small town about 300km northeast of Perth. Her family and friends had not heard from her since, and raised the alarm. Police and volunteers started searching the remote wheatbelt area and beyond. Wilga's Mitsubishi van was found bogged and abandoned in Karroun Hill, about 150km from Beacon, on Thursday. Securo said Wilga had 'somewhat lost control of the vehicle', which had then become 'mechanically unsound and bogged'. She had stayed with the car for just a day before panicking and striking out to find help, Securo said, and had used the sun's position to head west. She had minimal food and water. 'She is still in disbelief that she was able to survive,' Securo said. 'In her mind, she had convinced herself that she was not going to be located … I'm sure she got to a point where she thought no one was coming.' Wilga was found about 24km from her car. Securo said Wilga was 'very traumatised' and 'just overwhelmed' to have been found, and that the woman who found her was 'quite overwhelmed herself'. 'We are extremely thankful for her stopping and giving Carolina assistance,' she said. Wilga had planned to explore WA then head north and towards the east coast, Securo said, and still plans to travel Australia, with the east coast 'on her bucket list'. 'As you can imagine, from the trauma she suffered for the last few days, she's been obviously through a great deal,' WA police's Insp Martin Glynn said on Friday. 'She does have some injuries. She's been ravaged by mosquitoes. She's obviously been through an amazing journey, a trauma, no doubt … [and] a testimony to demonstrating her bravery in those circumstances. 'There's a very hostile environment out there, both from flora and fauna. It's a really, really challenging environment.' WA premier Roger Cook said he was 'incredibly relieved' that she had been found alive. 'This news is nothing short of remarkable,' he wrote on Facebook. 'We're yet to have the full picture of what happened, but … we can all breathe a little easier knowing Carolina is safe and well.'
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
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How the relieved friends of rescued backpacker Carolina Wilga plan to celebrate her miraculous return
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'She's coped in some amazing conditions. (It's a) very hostile environment out there.' Timeline of backpacker's disappearance June 28 Ms Wilga's friend saw her leave the Sundance Backpackers hostel in Fremantle on June 28. Her friend Denise Kullick told German media Ms Wilga had planned to travel with a friend to a seaside location to become a yoga teacher - but ended up setting off alone. Another friend, in Australia, was also in contact with Ms Wilga twice on the same day, the first was a text message at 7am. In the message, Ms Wilga explained she would not be able to drop off a book and a jerry can as she had 'some stuff she needed to handle'. CCTV footage captured Ms Wilga driving into a petrol station at 4.28pm on Stirling Terrace in Toodyay - about 90km northeast of Perth. Ms Wilga parked, exited her van and filled it with petrol before heading inside the service station to pay. At 4.38pm, the friend received a voice message from Ms Wilga in which she was heard saying: 'I just couldn't wait anymore. Ugh. I felt tired'. Shortly after, at 4.41pm, Ms Wilga left the petrol station. Police believed Ms Wilga departed Toodyay and embarked on the 230km journey northeast, stopping at Dowerin, on the way to Beacon. June 29 - Ms Wilga is last seen Ms Wilga was last seen on CCTV footage taken from a general store in Beacon, about 300km northeast of Perth in the Wheatbelt region, at 12.10pm on June 29. She was spotted wearing ripped blue baggy jeans, a cream long-sleeve jumper and a similar coloured scarf. The young backpacker was captured peering into the store and walking around the property. About five minutes later, she got back into her van and left. Police believed she travelled to Wialki, a further 25km east of Beacon. June 30 to July 9 - Ms Wilga makes no contact From June 30, friends and family were not able to contact Ms Wilga, nor were there any sightings of the young traveller. Police issued a missing person alert on July 7, with details of her disappearance and an appeal for information or sightings of Ms Wilga. On July 9, Western Australia Police Commissioner Col Blanch told media police were 'very concerned' for Ms Wilga's welfare. Detectives from the homicide squad were also called in to help find the missing backpacker. Commissioner Blanch added her disappearance was not being treated as a murder 'at this point'. 'They are investigating, not that it's a homicide at this point, but we want our very best capabilities to investigate something that is very concerning to us,' Commissioner Blanch said. It was believed her phone had been switched off, police said. The police air wing also joined the 'very large search and rescue' operation, with officers scouring the immense Wheatbelt region for clues to her whereabouts. July 10 - Ms Wilga's van is found Police located Ms Wilga's black and silver 1995 Mitsubishi Delica van in Karroun Hill at 1.10pm on Thursday. The van was found abandoned, more than 50km north of Wialki, with police believing the vehicle had suffered mechanical issues. Police said she may have wandered into the outback after her van broke down in Karroun Hill and ruled out foul play. She was found on Friday afternoon by a member of the public walking along a bush track. Ms Wilga was airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital. In footage of her boarding the plane she appeared to walk with a limp.
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