Missing teen mistakenly declared ‘found alive’ after eight-day search uncovers body: ‘Earlier advice was wrong’
The body of an 18-year-old woman has been discovered more than a week after she disappeared while hiking in a remote area of New South Wales in Australia.
Lily Hooper’s body was found in bushland in the Southern Highlands, police said in a statement.
While it was “yet to be formally identified”, a spokesperson for the NSW police said, “the body is believed to be that of the 18-year-old woman”.
The discovery was made possible by a multi-agency search operation in the Nattai National Park, roughly 90km southwest of Sydney.
The NSW police said on Thursday that a “hiker” had been located during the search in the rugged mountainous area. The circumstances surrounding the woman’s death were yet to be established.
“I have got some terrible news,” NSW premier Chris Minns told a parliamentary hearing on Thursday.
“It seems as if the earlier advice was wrong.”
Just minutes earlier, Mr Minns had said the woman had been “found alive”.
“Lily’s body has been found. She’d been found deceased. This is obviously devastating, and I’m profoundly sad for her family and for all those concerned. I apologise.”
Hooper set out from her home southwest of Sydney on 12 August for a hike through the Nattai park.
When her vehicle was found abandoned close to the Bonnum Pic Walking Trail, authorities began an extensive search involving around 100 Australian Defence Force personnel and covering dense bush, steep slopes, and cliff edges.
Police also used a thermal-equipped helicopter and telecommunications information to help determine the woman’s movements. Her family stayed at the search command post as the operation continued.
Her body was finally located in the dense bushland at about 11.30am local time on Thursday. Police had been told she was an experienced hiker.
Ms Hooper’s family were initially told she had been found alive.
