Missing teen hiker found dead in Australian bush after eight-day search
Lily Hooper was reported missing on 12 August after failing to return from a hike in a Sydney national park.
An 18-year-old hiker, Lily Hooper, has been discovered deceased in the Australian bush after an extensive eight-day search.
Authorities located a woman's body in Australian bushland, concluding an eight-day search for the Sydney teenager who was reported missing last Wednesday. While formal identification is pending, police believe the body is that of 18-year-old Lily Hooper. This development followed earlier local media reports suggesting she had been found alive.
Hooper departed her Sydney residence on August 12 for a walk in a nearby national park. Her family reported her missing later that evening when she did not return home by 10 pm. Her vehicle was subsequently located in a car park at the base of a difficult trail within Nattai National Park.
Police stated that the woman's body was found in the Southern Highlands around 11:30 local time on Thursday.
Initial reports regarding Hooper's status were muddled after New South Wales Premier Chris Minns informed a parliamentary hearing that she had been found alive. Local media also indicated that her family had been notified she was alive. Minns promptly corrected his statement, informing the hearing that "Lily's body has been found" and that she was deceased.
"This is obviously devastating, and I'm profoundly sad for her family and for all those concerned," Minns expressed, offering an apology to the committee.
A multi-agency search operation for the missing bushwalker had been underway for the past week. This effort involved numerous NSW Police Force units, including PolAir, the Rescue Unit, the Trail Bike Unit, the Mounted Unit, and the Dog Unit. Support was also provided by the Rural Fire Service, the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and nearly 100 personnel from the Australian Defence Force.