German Backpacker Survives 11 Days Lost in the Australian Wilderness

Liputan6.com, Jakarta Carolina Wilga (26), a German backpacker, survived after 11 nights lost in outback Western Australia.

Her story made headlines as she was able to survive despite facing exhaustion, dehydration, and disorientation in one of the most sparsely populated areas of the world.

Wilga has lived in Western Australia for two years. Her journey to the eastern part of Australia without a definite plan led her to the Karroun Hill area, about 320 kilometers northeast of Perth.

At that time, she stopped at a shop in the small town of Beacon to buy supplies. However, when she continued her journey, the Mitsubishi Delica she was driving got stuck in wet sand about 35 kilometers from the main road.

At first, Wilga tried to free her vehicle with wooden planks, but failed. She spent the first night in the car. With no phone signal, she decided to leave the car to seek help. However, the move only got her lost.

With the only navigational clue being to follow the sun to the west, Wilga made her way across the vast wilderness. She had to face freezing night temperatures and bad weather, including several days of heavy rain.

"She was basically in the wild for about 11 nights. It reminds us how lucky she was to be found safe and sound," said Acting Detective Superintendent Jessica Securo of the Western Australian Police, as quoted by The Independent on Saturday (July 12).

According to Securo, the success of the search was pure luck. The search involved police, planes, helicopters, and local residents.

"The area out there has diverse terrain. It can be very dangerous if you don't know what you're doing or where you're going," she said.

Western Australia is famously vast, covering more than 2.5 million square kilometers, more than half the size of the European Union.

Of its 3 million residents, more than two-thirds live in Perth, while the rest are scattered across farming, mining, or wilderness areas.

Rescuers were worried as Wilga became the second person to go missing in the area in the last 12 months.

Previously, Barry Podmore (73) was reported missing since December while searching for gold in Karroun Hill. To date, he has not been found.

Police reminded the importance of thorough preparation for anyone exploring the wilds of Western Australia.

“We recommend carrying a personal location beacon to contact emergency services in the event of a problem, as well as sharing travel plans with loved ones,” Securo explained.

She also emphasized the importance of staying in the vehicle when facing trouble. “It's much easier for an air search to find a vehicle than a person on foot,” he added.

In Wilga's case, the vehicle was found the day before she was discovered by locals, about 24 kilometers from the location of her car. When she was found, she was weak and overwhelmed.

“She was very traumatized and overwhelmed to finally find someone who could help her,” Securo said.

After being rushed to the hospital, Wilga received treatment for minor injuries, including mosquito bites, as well as emotional support.

She has also contacted her family in Germany. Although still processing her traumatic experience, Wilga has no plans to leave Australia.

"Carolina says she loves Australia. There's still a lot she wants to do here. The East Coast is still on her bucket list. So, I think if she could stay, she would," Securo said.