Carolina Wilga spent 11 nights lost within the Western Australian Outback convinced no one would find her.
It was only by ‘sheer luck’ that a girl happened to be driving past the ‘confused and disoriented’ 26-year-old wandering miles from where she had to desert her van.
WA police acting detective inspector Jessica Securo said: ‘She mainly checked out the direction of the sun and tried to move west, considering that may be her best bet of coming across someone or a road.’
When finally found, Carolina was ‘exhausted, dehydrated and hungry’, ‘ravaged’ by mosquitoes, and covered in cuts and bruises.
She was taken to the police and airlifted to a Perth hospital for treatment.
‘That is the most effective result we could have hoped for,’ Ms Securo said.
‘We’re incredibly grateful that she’s been found secure, and clearly this can be a huge relief for her family and all of her family members.
‘We never gave up hope that Carolina can be found secure and well … the support of our WA community is our biggest asset, particularly in a state as vast as ours.
‘It’s sheer luck. The realm out there’s mixed terrain. It may well be quite dangerous when you don’t know what you’re doing or where you’re going, and it’s very easy to wander away.’
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The German backpacker isn’t expected to be released until later, with Ms Securo saying she still needs further ‘emotional support’ alongside other medical treatment.
‘She’s had a superb night’s sleep. She’s had a shower,’ the officer said.
‘We’ve got her some food, which was a large relief for her.
‘So, she’s just taking it sooner or later at a time in the meanwhile.’
Carolina is now in ‘frequent communication’ along with her family who’re relieved and thankful the Western Australian community got here together to ‘throw every resource at locating their daughter’.
Shehad been last seen on June 29 arriving within the van at a general store within the small agricultural community of Beacon, northeast of Perth.
Police found the van on Thursday, abandoned after getting stuck in dense bushland north of Beacon, with plastic orange traction tracks placed beneath the rear wheels.
‘It seems that she has somewhat lost control of the vehicle, after which it’s develop into mechanically unsound, and bogged,’ Ms Securo said.
Carolina stayed with the van for sooner or later before leaving the vehicle through ‘panic’, hoping to seek out help.
‘She had minimal food and minimal water. From talking to her, she has said she could have planned higher,’ Ms Securo added.
Police say she had spent two years backpacking across the country, and was working at mine sites in Western Australia while staying mostly at hostels.
‘Carolina has told me that she loves Australia,’ Ms Securo said.
‘She still has a lot travel to do here. She hasn’t made it over to the east coast yet, in order that’s still on her bucket list.’
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