The body of a 26-year-old woman has been found in Hunter Valley days after being swept away in raging floodwaters
The search began on Saturday evening, August 2, when emergency crews were called to Black Creek on Old North Road in Rothbury, north of Cessnock, after reports a vehicle was stuck in rising floodwaters.
Authorities say the driver of the Mini Countryman had tried to cross the flooded road but got stuck.
The 27-year-old driver was rescued, but her 26-year-old passenger was swept away before help could reach her.
An extensive multi-agency search was launched, involving local police, the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, Marine Area Command, NSW SES, VRA Rescue NSW, and the NSW Rural Fire Service.
VRA Rescue NSW located a body on Wednesday.
While formal identification is yet to be completed, authorities believe it is the missing woman.
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The Advertiser
5 days ago
- The Advertiser
Body found during search for woman missing in floodwaters at Rothbury
A body believed to be that of a woman missing in floodwaters at Rothbury has been found. Emergency services spent more than three days searching Black Creek after a car became stuck in floodwater on Old North Road just before 8pm on Saturday. Police were told a Mini Countryman tried to drive through floodwater before it became stuck. The driver, a 27-year-old woman, was rescued. However, her passenger, a 26-year-old Chinese national who was working as an engineer in western Sydney, did not surface. A large-scale search for the woman has taken place each day since she went missing. It involved local police, the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, Marine Area Command, NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA), and the Rural Fire Service. Police divers joined the search on Monday. VRA crews discovered the body about 11am yesterday, about 450 metres from where the car was swept off the causeway. The search had resumed an hour earlier. The waterlogged wrecks of the Mini Countryman, and a second car that was washed off the same causeway before the driver was rescued clinging to a tree, became visible in the creek as waters receded. While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing woman. Cessnock police Inspector Justin Cornes said forensic police and detectives were at the scene yesterday. "Our thoughts go out to the family of the missing 26-year-old for what has been, and will continue to be, an extremely difficult time for them," he said. Police have been working with the Chinese consulate. Inspector Cornes thanked everyone who had been involved in the search, which he said had been "an extremely difficult operation under difficult circumstances". Searchers battled horrendous weather and low visibility in the first days of the search. VRA Cessnock captain Paul Hampton said the waters reached six metres above the causeway at their peak. He said crews were able to find the body after waters began to recede. "We were involved from the initial search and we're pleased we could find her and provide closure to her family," he said. Mr Hampton said counselling and support would be made available to those involved in the search. A body believed to be that of a woman missing in floodwaters at Rothbury has been found. Emergency services spent more than three days searching Black Creek after a car became stuck in floodwater on Old North Road just before 8pm on Saturday. Police were told a Mini Countryman tried to drive through floodwater before it became stuck. The driver, a 27-year-old woman, was rescued. However, her passenger, a 26-year-old Chinese national who was working as an engineer in western Sydney, did not surface. A large-scale search for the woman has taken place each day since she went missing. It involved local police, the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, Marine Area Command, NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA), and the Rural Fire Service. Police divers joined the search on Monday. VRA crews discovered the body about 11am yesterday, about 450 metres from where the car was swept off the causeway. The search had resumed an hour earlier. The waterlogged wrecks of the Mini Countryman, and a second car that was washed off the same causeway before the driver was rescued clinging to a tree, became visible in the creek as waters receded. While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing woman. Cessnock police Inspector Justin Cornes said forensic police and detectives were at the scene yesterday. "Our thoughts go out to the family of the missing 26-year-old for what has been, and will continue to be, an extremely difficult time for them," he said. Police have been working with the Chinese consulate. Inspector Cornes thanked everyone who had been involved in the search, which he said had been "an extremely difficult operation under difficult circumstances". Searchers battled horrendous weather and low visibility in the first days of the search. VRA Cessnock captain Paul Hampton said the waters reached six metres above the causeway at their peak. He said crews were able to find the body after waters began to recede. "We were involved from the initial search and we're pleased we could find her and provide closure to her family," he said. Mr Hampton said counselling and support would be made available to those involved in the search. A body believed to be that of a woman missing in floodwaters at Rothbury has been found. Emergency services spent more than three days searching Black Creek after a car became stuck in floodwater on Old North Road just before 8pm on Saturday. Police were told a Mini Countryman tried to drive through floodwater before it became stuck. The driver, a 27-year-old woman, was rescued. However, her passenger, a 26-year-old Chinese national who was working as an engineer in western Sydney, did not surface. A large-scale search for the woman has taken place each day since she went missing. It involved local police, the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, Marine Area Command, NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA), and the Rural Fire Service. Police divers joined the search on Monday. VRA crews discovered the body about 11am yesterday, about 450 metres from where the car was swept off the causeway. The search had resumed an hour earlier. The waterlogged wrecks of the Mini Countryman, and a second car that was washed off the same causeway before the driver was rescued clinging to a tree, became visible in the creek as waters receded. While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing woman. Cessnock police Inspector Justin Cornes said forensic police and detectives were at the scene yesterday. "Our thoughts go out to the family of the missing 26-year-old for what has been, and will continue to be, an extremely difficult time for them," he said. Police have been working with the Chinese consulate. Inspector Cornes thanked everyone who had been involved in the search, which he said had been "an extremely difficult operation under difficult circumstances". Searchers battled horrendous weather and low visibility in the first days of the search. VRA Cessnock captain Paul Hampton said the waters reached six metres above the causeway at their peak. He said crews were able to find the body after waters began to recede. "We were involved from the initial search and we're pleased we could find her and provide closure to her family," he said. Mr Hampton said counselling and support would be made available to those involved in the search. A body believed to be that of a woman missing in floodwaters at Rothbury has been found. Emergency services spent more than three days searching Black Creek after a car became stuck in floodwater on Old North Road just before 8pm on Saturday. Police were told a Mini Countryman tried to drive through floodwater before it became stuck. The driver, a 27-year-old woman, was rescued. However, her passenger, a 26-year-old Chinese national who was working as an engineer in western Sydney, did not surface. A large-scale search for the woman has taken place each day since she went missing. It involved local police, the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, Marine Area Command, NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA), and the Rural Fire Service. Police divers joined the search on Monday. VRA crews discovered the body about 11am yesterday, about 450 metres from where the car was swept off the causeway. The search had resumed an hour earlier. The waterlogged wrecks of the Mini Countryman, and a second car that was washed off the same causeway before the driver was rescued clinging to a tree, became visible in the creek as waters receded. While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing woman. Cessnock police Inspector Justin Cornes said forensic police and detectives were at the scene yesterday. "Our thoughts go out to the family of the missing 26-year-old for what has been, and will continue to be, an extremely difficult time for them," he said. Police have been working with the Chinese consulate. Inspector Cornes thanked everyone who had been involved in the search, which he said had been "an extremely difficult operation under difficult circumstances". Searchers battled horrendous weather and low visibility in the first days of the search. VRA Cessnock captain Paul Hampton said the waters reached six metres above the causeway at their peak. He said crews were able to find the body after waters began to recede. "We were involved from the initial search and we're pleased we could find her and provide closure to her family," he said. Mr Hampton said counselling and support would be made available to those involved in the search.
Sky News AU
06-08-2025
- Sky News AU
The body of a 26-year-old woman has been found in Hunter Valley days after being swept away in raging floodwaters
A days-long search for a missing woman swept away by floodwaters in the Hunter Valley has come to a tragic end, with emergency services locating a body. The search began on Saturday evening, August 2, when emergency crews were called to Black Creek on Old North Road in Rothbury, north of Cessnock, after reports a vehicle was stuck in rising floodwaters. Authorities say the driver of the Mini Countryman had tried to cross the flooded road but got stuck. The 27-year-old driver was rescued, but her 26-year-old passenger was swept away before help could reach her. An extensive multi-agency search was launched, involving local police, the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, Marine Area Command, NSW SES, VRA Rescue NSW, and the NSW Rural Fire Service. VRA Rescue NSW located a body on Wednesday. While formal identification is yet to be completed, authorities believe it is the missing woman.
Perth Now
06-08-2025
- Perth Now
Tragic update for woman missing in floods
A body believed to be that of a missing 26-year-old woman has been found by volunteer rescuers in NSW's Hunter Valley. The Chinese national was swept away on Saturday 2 August after downpours flooded the Hunter Region. The woman was a passenger in a Mini Countryman driven by a 27-year-old woman on Old North Road in Rothbury. Police have given an update in the urgent search for a woman who was swept away overnight in rising floodwaters in NSW's Hunter Region Credit: Supplied The car reportedly drove through the floodwaters and became stuck, and when the two women left the vehicle they were swept away. The body is yet to be formally identified, and a report will be prepared for the coroner. Rescuers from VRA Rescue NSW found the body on Wednesday morning, after a grim days-long search. More to come.
