German Tourist Survives 12 Days Lost in Remote Australian Wilderness

A 26-year-old German backpacker, Carolina Wilga, has shared her incredible survival story after enduring nearly two weeks lost in the harsh Australian outback. Her ordeal ended when she was found alive in a remote part of Western Australia on Friday, July 11, 2025.

How It All Began

Wilga, who had been traveling solo, suffered a car crash that caused her to become disoriented. In a statement released by the Western Australia Police Force, she revealed that she had “hit her head significantly” during the crash. Though her car contained water, food, and clothing, she left the vehicle in a confused state, which led her deeper into the bushland.

“Some people might wonder why I even left my car,” Wilga wrote. “The answer is: I lost control of the car and rolled down a slope. As a result of the accident, I left my car in a state of confusion and got lost.”

The Search and Rescue

Authorities launched a large-scale search in Beacon, a remote area of Western Australia. According to Western Australia Police Inspector Martin Glynn, Wilga was eventually found by a member of the public while wandering along a forest trail. Despite being in a “fragile” condition, she had no major injuries and was flown to a hospital in Perth for medical attention.

“She’s obviously coped in some amazing conditions,” Glynn said. “There’s a very hostile environment out there, both from flora and fauna. It’s a really, really challenging environment to cope in.”

Gratitude and Reflection

In her message, Wilga expressed heartfelt gratitude to the people involved in her rescue: “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.”

The area where she was lost spans more than 300,000 hectares (approximately 740,000 acres), making survival and search efforts extraordinarily difficult.

Her story of survival is being hailed as a testament to human resilience and a reminder of the dangers of venturing into the wilderness unprepared or alone.

Source: CNN