Missing Australian Hiker Lily Hooper Found Dead After Eight-Day Search

The body of 18-year-old Australian hiker Lily Hooper was found dead in Nattai National Park on Thursday, eight days after she vanished during a solo trip.

Hooper was last seen leaving her Oakdale, New South Wales, home last Wednesday for a hike in the rugged bushland. Her family reported her missing that night after she failed to return home by 10:00 p.m., and her Hyundai was found at 11:00 p.m. at the bottom of a challenging trail. Hooper's family was mistakenly told she had been found alive before receiving the accurate information.

New South Wales Police Assistant Commissioner Joseph Cassar attributed the error to a communication issue with handheld devices in thick and dense terrain. Cassar stated there was an eight to 10 minutes period between the initial report from SES search volunteers at 11:30 a.m. New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon apologized unreservedly for the miscommunication, describing it as born out of elation.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns initially told a parliamentary committee that Hooper was found alive, then retracted the statement minutes later, apologizing to the committee. Around 1,000 people, including volunteers, law enforcement, and military personnel, participated in the extensive search operation. An investigation is set to be launched into the inter-agency miscommunication.