Backpacker found alive after 12 days lost in Oz outback breaks silence to reveal dramatic reason she abandoned her car
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A GERMAN backpacker who spend nearly two weeks lost in the Australian outback has broken her silence following her rescue.
Carolina Wilga thanked her rescuers as she revealed the reason she left the safety of her vehicle in rural Western Australia.
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Carolina Wilga has broken her silence following her dramatic rescue
Credit: Western Australia Police Force
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She revealed the reason she left the safety of her vehicle
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She was found alive and airlifted to hospital on Friday
Credit: 7NEWS
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The backpacker has been recovering in a Perth hospital after her gruelling ordeal stuck in the harsh terrain of the outback.
She spent 11 nights wandering barefoot through the wilderness after abandoning her van when it got stuck in Karroun Hill Nature Reserve.
The 26-year-old was found in a chance encounter by farmer Tania Henley on Friday.
But the backpacker has now shared the reason why she left her van behind to spend nearly two weeks on a perilous trek through the outback.
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Wilga revealed she had lost control of her vehicle and hit her head when it crashed, leaving her in a state of confusion.
She said: "Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there.
"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.
"I am simply beyond grateful to have survived."
Before her disappearance, Wilga was last seen June 29 at a general store in Beacon, 186 miles north-east of Perth.
Missing backpacker found ALIVE after nearly two weeks wandering Oz bushland
She was then seen driving away in a black and silver Mitsubishi Delica van.
Having spent the last two years backpacking across Australia, she recently worked at mine sites in regional WA.
Her chance rescue came when she was spotted walking along on an unsealed access road.
Wilga had spent nearly two weeks with minimal supplies, even resorting to drinking water from puddles and seeking shelter in caves to survive the outback's unforgiving conditions.
Cops had found her bogged down vehicle less than 24 hours before she was rescued.
Wilga shared her thanks to her rescuers from "the depth of my soul".
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She had not been heard from since Sunday, 29 June
Credit: Western Australia Police Force
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She was found in a chance encounter by farmer Tania Henley
Credit: 7News
She said: "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."
Bush survival expert Kelli Jackson told ABC Radio Perth that anyone caught in a similar situation should always stay with their vehicle.
"It's no surprise that people leave their vehicle," she said.
"If you've been through any emergency situation, a car accident or something like that, you might remember how things go in slow motion."
She added that the shock people feel can make them do "really weird things" like throwing their gear away or running in a random direction.
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Police issued a public appeal for help on July 10 in their search for the 26-year-old
Credit: AFP
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A road sign stands near Beacon, Western Australia, Friday, July 11, 2025, near where she was last seen before disappearing
Credit: AP
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