A backpacker who survived nearly two weeks lost in Western Australia’s outback has said she is “simply beyond grateful to have survived”.
Caroline Wilga, a 26-year-old German national, was rescued on Friday after spending 11 freezing nights alone and lost in the bushland.
She survived by drinking from puddles and sheltering in a cave, police said.
In her first public statement since being rescued, Ms Wilga said she had hit her head after losing control of her van, causing her to exit the vehicle in a state of confusion.
She was spotted by a driver and airlifted to a hospital in Perth, where she is recovering.
Ms Wilga thanked the medical staff, German consulate and all the people who had helped search for her, in a statement to Western Australia Police posted on Instagram.
“I want to express a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart – a thank you that truly comes from the depth of my soul,” she said.
“Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there,” Ms Wilga added.
She said she “lost control of the car and rolled down a slope”, hitting her head “significantly” in the subsequent crash.
“As a result of the accident, I left my car in a state of confusion and got lost,” she added.
“Previously, I didn’t know where my place was in a culture on the other side of the world to my own, but now, I feel a part of it. I am deeply impressed by the courage, helpfulness, and warmth that has been shown to me here.
“Western Australia has taught me what it really means to be part of a true community. Here, humanity, solidarity, and care for one another are what truly matter – and in the end, that’s what counts most.”
She was found walking barefoot by motorist Tania Henley – whom Ms Wilga described as her “saviour and angel” – more than 30km away from where she had abandoned her van, on a scarcely used track north of Beacon.
Ms Henley told Australia’s public broadcaster ABC that she saw Ms Wilga waving by the side of the road, and she appeared to be in a “fragile state”, suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, insect bites and an injured foot.
“Everything in this bush is very prickly. I just can’t believe that she survived. She had no shoes on, she’d wrapped her foot up,” Ms Henley said.
Before her rescue, Ms Wilga was last seen at a general store in the town of Beacon, Western Australia, in her van on 29 June.
“I am certain that I survived only thanks to this incredible outpouring of support,” she said.
“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,” she said.
The rescue was down to “sheer luck”, acting police inspector Jessica Securo said in a news conference.