Hiker Lily Hooper has been found dead in Australian bushland after an eight-day-long search.
According to The Guardian, the body of the 18-year-old missing hiker was found in remote New South Wales national park bushes over a week after she disappeared on her hike.
ES search volunteers found the body off the walking trails on Thursday, August 20, morning.
The assistant commissioner Joe Cassar initially said that the volunteers at 11:30 reported that a teenager had been found alive in “thick and dense terrain” in Nattai National Park.
However, minutes later the search crew relayed a “more accurate account” to police, confirming Lily was dead.
Commissioner breaks silence on miscommunication in Lily Hooper case
Cassar told reporters in Moss Vale that there is “no playbook" to communication. “I cannot turn the clock back.”
Meanwhile, the commissioner told reporters in Goulburn that the report about Lily being found was “born out of elation.”
He said, "Tragically, that miscommunication then led to a deflation, and obviously, we know now an impact on her family.”
NWS prime minister Chris Minns extends ‘deepest condolences'
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, who also first told the parliament on Thursday that Lily was “found alive” with half a bottle of water, later shared the “terrible news” with an apology.
He said, “My deepest condolences are with Lily’s family. I am profoundly sorry to think that anything I said may have added to their heartbreak at an already devastating time.”
As per assistant commissioner Cassar, Lily was found off the trail a “significant distance” from her car, which was parked near the trailhead on Wanganderry Road at High Range.
The assistant commissioner said it was not yet clear how she died or if she had sustained injuries. He said her body would likely be brought out by foot, as air retrieval was “exceptionally difficult.”
Hooper left her Sydney home on Wednesday 12 August for the hike. Initial police inquiries suggested she reached the summit of Bonnum Pic mountain mid-morning on Wednesday, having sent messages from the trail earlier that day. She was reported missing in the evening after she did not return home.
