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.”
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