Latest news with #WesternAustraliaPolice
Kuwait Times
5 days ago
- Kuwait Times
Rescued German backpacker details Australia bush ordeal
SYDNEY: A German backpacker who survived 11 nights in the Australian bush described on Monday how she got lost and confused after crashing her car. Carolina Wilga, 26, was found on a scarcely used track in Western Australia late last week miles from her vehicle after going missing in remote bushland, and police said she was lucky to have survived. They found her abandoned van stuck in dense bushland north of the town of Beacon, with plastic orange traction boards placed beneath the rear wheels. 'Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there,' Wilga said Monday in a statement issued through Western Australia Police. '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.' Wilga thanked those who had helped to track her down. '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. 'For this, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.' Hungry, thirsty and covered in insect bites, Wilga was airlifted to a Perth hospital for treatment after she was found on Friday. The backpacker had lost hope of being rescued, police said. 'She spent 11 nights exposed to the elements and survived by consuming the minimal food supplies she had in her possession, and drinking water from rain and puddles,' Western Australia police said last week. 'She sought shelter at night where possible, including in a cave.' Wilga was suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, sunburn, 'extensive insect bites', and an injured foot, police said. The driver who spotted her, Tania Henley, told public broadcaster ABC that she saw Wilga waving her hands by the side of the road. She appeared to be in a 'fragile state', bitten by midges and suffering from the cold. '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,' Henley said. Until her rescue, she had been last seen on June 29 arriving in the van at a general store in Beacon. — AFP
STV News
5 days ago
- STV News
Backpacker survived 11 days in the Outback drinking puddle water after van crash
A German backpacker who was found wandering the Australian outback after being missing for 11 days has thanked police for their support and revealed why she left her van – despite knowing the dangers. Western Australian authorities launched an extensive search operation when Caronlina Wilga's family reported her missing on June 29. She was found on Friday, roughly 14 miles from where she abandoned her van after a member of the public found her wandering on a forest trail after surviving in the wilderness with 'minimal food and water'. Police shared the last known whereabouts of Carolina Wilga as they carried out their search. / Credit: Western Australia Police On Monday, Western Australia Police issued a statement from Wilga, where she said: 'Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there.' She said the reason was: '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.' Breaking down in the outback can be very dangerous, but people are still encouraged to stay with their vehicle due to the shelter it can provide. Police found Carolina Wilga's van in the Outback. / Credit: Western Australia Police/7News Authorities said Wilga was covered in mosquito bites, dehydrated, exhausted and starving when she was found but had no major injuries. They said she spent 11 nights exposed to the elements and survived by consuming the minimal food supplies she was carrying, and drinking water from rain and puddles. She also slept wherever she could find shelter, including in a cave. The woman who found her, local farmer Tania Henley, told 7News: 'She was on the side of the road and then she just walked out and waved her hands and I knew who it was, I mean who else would be out here.' Henley said she stopped and gave her a hug, to which Wilga dubbed her a 'guardian angel.' Henley also said it could have been days before anyone else travelled down the same road again. Carolina Wilga with her van before she went missing. / Credit: Western Australia Police/7News Martin Glynn, from the Western Australia Police Force Glynn said at the time she was found: '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 (740,000 acres). Wilga also extensively thanked all those who helped her, as well as the entirety of Australia. She said: '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. 'I am certain that I survived only thanks to this incredible outpouring of support. '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. For this, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.' Caroline Wilga seen after she was rescued. / Credit: Western Australia Police/7News Speaking to the media on Sunday, the Western Australian premier, Roger Cook, said Wilga had managed an 'extraordinary feat'. 'I can't imagine how traumatic it was for her, and I can't imagine the elation that her mother and her family and her friends must have felt when reported that she was safe,' he said. 'Everyone should take note, though, that this is an example of just how dangerous our bushland and our outback can be.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
CNN
6 days ago
- CNN
German tourist describes 12-day ordeal, lost in Australian wilderness
A German backpacker who survived 12 days lost in Australia's remote outback has said she is 'beyond grateful to have survived.' In her first public statement since being found alive on Friday, 26-year-old Carolina Wilga said she 'hit her head significantly' when she crashed her car and became lost after abandoning it in 'a state of confusion.' Wilga was found alive on Friday afternoon, nearly two weeks after she disappeared in the bushland. According to the Associated Press, the crew of a police helicopter spotted her vehicle Thursday in wilderness in the Karroun Hill Nature Reserve, 36 kilometers (22 miles) north of the town of Beacon. 'Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there,' she wrote in a statement released by Western Australia Police Force on Monday. '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.' Wilga's message, shared by Western Australia Police Force on Facebook, expressed thanks to those who searched for her, as well as to medical staff and the German consulate. '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. '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. For this, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.' According to AP, Western Australia Police Force Inspector Martin Glynn said a member of the public found her wandering on a forest trail late Friday. She was in a 'fragile' state but had no serious injuries and was flown to a hospital in Perth for treatment, Glynn told reporters. '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 Wilga was lost covers more than 300,000 hectares (740,000 acres), according to AP.
ITV News
6 days ago
- ITV News
German backpacker survived 11 days in the Outback drinking puddle water after van crash
A German backpacker who was found wandering the Australian outback after being missing for 11 days has thanked police for their support and revealed why she left her van - despite knowing the dangers. Western Australian authorities launched an extensive search operation when Caronlina Wilga's family reported her missing on June 29. She was found on Friday, roughly 14 miles from where she abandoned her van after a member of the public found her wandering on a forest trail after surviving in the wilderness with 'minimal food and water'. On Monday, Western Australia Police issued a statement from Wilga, where she said: "Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there." She said the reason was: "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." Breaking down in the outback can be very dangerous, but people are still encouraged to stay with their vehicle due to the shelter it can provide. Authorities said Wilga was covered in mosquito bites, dehydrated, exhausted and starving when she was found but had no major injuries. They said she spent 11 nights exposed to the elements and survived by consuming the minimal food supplies she was carrying, and drinking water from rain and puddles. She also slept wherever she could find shelter, including in a cave. The woman who found her, local farmer Tania Henley, told 7News: "She was on the side of the road and then she just walked out and waved her hands and I knew who it was, I mean who else would be out here." Henley said she stopped and gave her a hug, to which Wilga dubbed her a "guardian angel." Henley also said it could have been days before anyone else travelled down the same road again. Martin Glynn, from the Western Australia Police Force Glynn said at the time she was found: '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 (740,000 acres). Wilga also extensively thanked all those who helped her, as well as the entirety of Australia. She said: "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. "I am certain that I survived only thanks to this incredible outpouring of support. "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. For this, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart." Speaking to the media on Sunday, the Western Australian premier, Roger Cook, said Wilga had managed an 'extraordinary feat'. 'I can't imagine how traumatic it was for her, and I can't imagine the elation that her mother and her family and her friends must have felt when reported that she was safe,' he said. 'Everyone should take note, though, that this is an example of just how dangerous our bushland and our outback can be."
Metro
6 days ago
- Metro
Backpacker who survived 12 days in Australian outback on why she abandoned car
A backpacker who was rescued after surviving 12 days in the Australian outback has explained why she abandoned her vehicle. Carolina Wilga, 26, was spotted along a remote bush track in Western Australia by a driver on Friday after last being seen on June 29th. Today the German national, who was airlifted to hospital, spoke publicly for the first time since the ordeal, explaining how she came to leave her van. 'Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there,' she said in a statement posted by Western Australia Police on Instagram she said '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.' In their own statement, police said Ms Wilga 'spent 11 nights exposed to the elements and survived by consuming the minimal food supplies she had in her possession, and drinking water from rain and puddles'. Ms Wilga said she was 'beyond grateful to have survived'. She added: 'First and foremost, 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. For all the incredible supports during the search for me,' she wrote. '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 said she was 'certain that I survived only thanks to this incredible outpouring of support'. '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 wrote. 'For this, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Especially to the police investigators, searchers, the German Consulate, the medical staff and the wonderful nurses who took care of me with so much compassion. She also thanked her 'rescuer and angel', Tania Henley, the driver who found her. Ms Henley told Australia's public broadcaster ABC that she saw Ms Wilga waving her hands by the side of the road, and she appeared to be in a 'fragile state'. '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. Ms Wilga had last been seen at a general store in the town of Beacon, 200 miles from Perth. Her abandoned car was found by police on Thursday in dense bushland north of Beacon. Acting police inspector Jessica Securo said in a news conference Ms Wilga's rescue was down to 'sheer luck'. She said the backpacker had had a 'good night's sleep' in hospital and is 'just taking it one day at a time', Ms Securo said. Jed Currey, owner of Perth-based Explore WA 4WD Adventures, said the incident should serve as a lesson for Australian authorities and tourists, reports More Trending 'I think we do need to be more proactive with people who travel to the country,' Mr Currey said. 'Europeans are very adventurous but they probably don't understand our bespoke conditions here – population differences, the isolation factor, and the harshness of the country.' Mr Currey said tourists should be given three simple tips on arrival: let someone know where you're going to be, don't leave your vehicle if you get into trouble, and have a means of contacting people. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: How young backpacker was found after 11 freezing nights lost in the Australian Outback MORE: Mushroom killer accused of 'tampering with prison food and making inmate sick' MORE: 'Heartbreaking' horror film available to stream on Netflix ahead of terrifying follow-up
