Latest news with #MartinGlynn
CTV News
14-07-2025
- CTV News
German tourist found alive 12 days after she was lost in the Australian Outback
Police prepare to search for German backpacker Carolina Wilga in Beacon, Western Australia on July 11, 2025. (ABC News via AP) MELBOURNE, Australia — German tourist Carolina Wilga was found alive in Australia's remote Outback on Friday, 12 days after she went missing and a day after her abandoned van was discovered, police said. The last known sighting of the 26-year-old backpacker, and the last day family and friends heard from her, was June 29. She was seen a general store in the wheat farming town of Beacon, 320 kilometres (200 miles) northeast of the Western Australia state capital Perth. Beacon had a population of 123 during the 2021 census. A member of the public found Wilga wandering on a forest trail late Friday, Western Australia Police Force Insp. Martin Glynn said. She was in a 'fragile' state but had no serious injuries and was flown to a hospital in Perth for treatment, Glynn told reporters. 'I think once we do hear her story, it will be a remarkable story,' Glynn said, adding it was a 'great result' for the backpacker's family and those involved in the search. '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.' Police assume backpacker became stuck June 29 The reserve where Wilga was lost covers more than 300,000 hectares (740,000 acres). The Thursday-Friday overnight temperature was 2.6 C (36.7 F) in the area with no rain. The crew of a police helicopter spotted her van Thursday in wilderness in the Karroun Hill Nature Reserve, 36 kilometres (22 miles) north of Beacon, Glynn said. 'Very difficult country. Huge area. So it's a miracle they've actually spotted the car, to be honest,' Glynn told reporters before she was found. Ground searchers on Friday scoured a heavily wooded radius of 300 metres (1,000 feet) beyond the van. Police assume Wilga's van, a 1995 Mitsubishi Delica Star Wagon, became stuck in mud on the day she left Beacon, Glynn said. The van, which has solar panels and reserves of drinking water, had recovery boards under its rear wheels that are used to give vehicles traction when they are stuck. Police believed Wilga became lost and was not the victim of crime. Australian serial killer Ivan Milat, who died in prison in 2019, notoriously kidnapped and murdered seven backpackers from 1989 to 1992 including three Germans, two Britons and two Australians. Rod Mcguirk, The Associated Press
ABC News
11-07-2025
- ABC News
German backpacker Carolina Wilga's 'remarkable' survival in hostile outback terrain
The day her banged-up, broken-down Mitsubishi van was discovered wedged in the embankment of a rocky outcrop, Carolina Wilga had just spent the night alone in sub-zero temperatures. There was evidence she tried hard to get her bogged vehicle out of the spot — but when a search and rescue plane spotted the car on Thursday, Carolina was nowhere to be found. At that point, it had been 11 days since anybody had seen the 26-year-old German national alive. She was far from the bustling coastal metropolis of Fremantle where a friend said she set off from on June 28. She drove herself to the north-eastern extremity of Western Australia's rich agricultural lands, to the small grain-growing community of Beacon. It was there at the local general store that she was last seen on June 29. Ms Wilga made the unlikely decision to take the van she recently purchased and plunge even further into the depths of the great beyond, into a sparse and environmentally hostile nature reserve. "A serious piece of bush," is how one local described it. Nobody knew what she was doing out there, where she was trying to go and why. It's a part of the world that historically not many people have dared to go, not even those who live on its fringes. "It's a wonderful nature reserve and is full of rich and diverse flora and fauna," Wheatbelt-based Police Inspector Martin Glynn said. "There are certainly other local places very much part of the tourist trail … but certainly this one wouldn't be one that people would visit normally, no." And for good reason. There are few obvious campsites in the expansive Karroun Hill Nature Reserve. There's barely a track. Ms Wilga's van was found half a kilometre as the crow flies from what would be even considered a worn path. Her disappearance triggered a huge search effort that progressively ramped up as the number of days since she was last seen ticked over. Long-term Beacon resident Marilyn Dunne said her community rallied around the effort to find Ms Wilga. "Everybody is talking about it, everybody is worried about it," she said. "Everyone has got their own ideas about it and, of course, if they were asked to help, they would go in a moment." Ms Dunne, who owns a station that borders the Karroun Hill Nature Reserve, said she had noticed it become more popular with visitors. "More and more it's being advertised on tourist bureaus and on brochures and it's being recommended on maps, so I think we're going to need to make more warning signs for people," she said. Tim Collins, director of Upstream Aviation, has been involved in aerial searches, mostly of water, but said the terrain where Carolina's car was found presented significant difficulties. "It's hard to see somebody unless you're in a very open space," he said. "If you've got any kind of bush or any kind of trees, or are sheltered under a tree, it's very hard to find somebody." Those on the ground and in the air searching for Ms Wilga never lost hope of finding her, even on the 12th day. "You're always so hopeful with these missing-person situations," Inspector Glynn said. Despite the odds, Carolina Wilga survived. The news of her being found alive broke after 5pm, local time, on Friday. Save for being ravaged by mosquitoes, she was not seriously hurt. Though the mental anguish she likely experienced was significant. "She's been through an incredible journey of trauma," Inspector Glynn said. A member of the public miraculously found Ms Wilga walking on a trail along the edge of the bush reserve, many kilometres from where she left her car. The fact she was walking at all was a miracle, and the world caught their first glimpse of her as she walked up the stairs to a waiting plane at the local airfield. She will now be checked over at a hospital back in Perth. Carolina Wilga is now safe and well, no doubt with a remarkable story to tell.
Daily Mail
11-07-2025
- Daily Mail
The breathtaking detail that makes missing backpacker's survival after two weeks lost in the outback even MORE of a miracle
A young German woman, who was found alive after going missing for 12 days in the Western Australian outback, appeared to have survived without one of her shoes. Carolina Wilga, 26, had been living and working in Australia for about two years and had recently set off to explore regional WA when she was reported missing. Two days into her trip, friends and family lost contact and authorities issued pleas for information after she was last seen on June 29 at a general store in Beacon, a small town about 300km northeast of Perth. But on Friday afternoon, a member of the public found her limping along bush track at the edge of the Karroun Hill Nature Reserve where her van was found the day before. Ms Wilga, who suffered minor injuries and was 'ravaged by mosquitoes', was filmed approaching a plane that would airlift her to Perth Hospital. But, while her hair was in a top knot and she wore a large sweatshirt, she seemed to be missing a shoe to the alarm of viewers. 'I think once we do hear her story, it will be a remarkable story,' WA Police Inspector Martin Glynn told reporters. 'She's coped in some amazing conditions. (It's a) very hostile environment out there.' Before entering the plane, she could be seen moving slowly and leaning against the door. 'As you can imagine from the trauma she's suffered for the last few days, she's been obviously through a great deal,' Insp. Glynn said. 'She's obviously in quite a fragile condition at the moment,' he said. He said her family had been informed straight away after she was located. At 1.10pm on Thursday, WA Police discovered Ms Wilga's Mitsubishi Delica van abandoned in the Karroun Hill area, about 100km north of where she was last seen. In a press conference just before Ms Wilga was found on Friday, Insp Glynn said the young woman appeared to have carried out 'extensive efforts' to free the vehicle after it became bogged. 'She'd used MAXTRAX and pieces of wood to try to free the vehicle from its location but unfortunately was unsuccessful,' he said. 'Quite frankly it's really inhospitable ground to move through easily, and as I said, it has rained recently, there are wet spots and vehicles will get bogged often.' Timeline of the disappearance 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. Ms Wilga was not found. Police shared a photo of the van showing orange recovery boards under the back wheels, which are devices used to help with traction for a vehicle stuck in mud or sand. July 11 - Ms Wilga is found Police said she may have wandered into the outback after her van broke down in Karroun Hill. Police ruled out foul play. '(Her disappearance) is unexplained behaviour ... and we are taking it very seriously,' Sergeant Venn said. 'There is no indication that there's any third party involvement in her disappearance but our minds are open to any line of inquiry or any information that people bring forward to us.' She was then found on Friday afternoon by a member of the public walking along a bush track.
RNZ News
11-07-2025
- RNZ News
German backpacker Carolina Wilga found alive in WA's outback
By Grace Burmas , Mya Kordic , Gian De Poloni and Kenith Png , ABC Missing German backpacker Carolina Wilga has been found. Photo: Supplied A German backpacker missing for 12 days in WA's outback has been found alive. The ABC has confirmed Carolina Wilga, 26, was discovered alive late on Friday afternoon. Prior to that, Wilga was last seen on 29 June at a general store in Beacon in WA's Wheatbelt, three-and-a-half hours drive north-east of Perth. Police discovered her abandoned vehicle deep in a nature reserve 36 kilometres north of the town on Thursday afternoon and conducted a large-scale aerial search. A police spokesperson said Wilga was found "safe and well". WA Police Inspector Martin Glynn said Wilga was found walking along a bush track at the edge of the Karroun Hill Nature Reserve by a member of the public. "She is now en route to a hospital in Perth for some medical attention," he said at a media conference just after 5:30pm (NZ9.30pm). "As you can imagine from the trauma she's suffered for the last few days, she's been obviously through a great deal. "She does have some injuries, she's been ravaged by mosquitoes, she's been through an incredible journey of trauma. "No doubt, [it] will be a testament to demonstrating her bravery in these circumstances." The police plane carrying Wilga arrived at Perth's Jandakot Airport just before 6:30pm, and from there she was taken to hospital by ambulance for a check-up. Carolina Wilga is taken to hospital after arriving at Jandakot airport. Photo: Supplied: ABC News / Tahlia Davis Inspector Glynn said Wilga had been airlifted away from Beacon and her family had been notified of her wellbeing. He said she was in a "fragile condition" and the conditions she endured would have been "a thousand times worse" than the difficult terrain searchers experienced. "You always go out with the best of hope that you will find the person and obviously this is a great outcome for everyone involved," Inspector Glynn said. "I think once we do hear her story it will be a remarkable story." A red marker on a map where Carolina Wilga's broken down car was found. Photo: Supplied: Google Earth / ABC News "She's coped in some amazing conditions, it's a very hostile environment out there both from flora and fauna … and the weather conditions have been really adverse with temperatures getting down to zero at night." Inspector Glynn said while the backpacker had minor injuries, she did not appear to be seriously hurt. WA Premier Roger Cook posted on social media at 5:45pm WST thanking those who assisted in the search. "This news is nothing short of remarkable," he wrote. "To our emergency services and everyone who searched, shared information, and supported the family through this ordeal - thank you. "We're yet to have the full picture of what happened, but tonight, we can all breathe a little easier knowing Carolina is safe and well." Wilga had been backpacking around Australia for the past two years and most recently was working on mine sites in regional WA. - ABC
South China Morning Post
11-07-2025
- South China Morning Post
In Australia, a German backpacker is found after 12 days missing
Lost German backpacker Carolina Wilga was found alive but 'ravaged by mosquitoes' on Friday, 12 days after going missing in remote bushland in Western Australia Advertisement A member of the public found the 26-year-old on a bush track at the edge of a nature reserve, and she has been taken to hospital in Perth for treatment, police said. 'She's been ravaged by mosquitoes. She's obviously been through an amazing journey, a trauma, and no doubt will be a testimony demonstrating her bravery in the circumstances out there,' WA police inspector Martin Glynn told reporters. 'I think once we do hear her story, it will be a remarkable story.' Television images showed her gingerly climbing the steps into a light turboprop plane to be flown out for medical treatment, wearing a long beige dress and a blue cardigan. Carolina Wilga in a van outside a general store in the small agricultural community of Beacon, northeast of Perth on June 29. Photo: AFP/Western Australian Police Force Wilga had been last seen on June 29 arriving in a Mitsubishi van at a general store in the small agricultural community of Beacon, northeast of Perth.
