The family of Lily Hooper, an 18-year-old whose body was found after an eight-day search, has stated they are not angry with police following a communication error that led them to believe she had been found alive. Ms. Hooper's body was recovered Thursday evening from bushland in the NSW Southern Highlands, approximately 90km south-west of Sydney. The post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death is ongoing.
Ms. Hooper was reported missing on August 12 after failing to return from a hike along the Bonnum Pic Trail in Nattai National Park. An extensive multi-agency search was launched, involving nearly 1,000 personnel, including police, State Emergency Service volunteers, firefighters, paramedics, and specialist search and rescue teams. The search concluded Thursday morning with the discovery of her body.
During the search, a communication mix-up occurred when a radio message at 11:27 a.m. indicated Ms. Hooper had been found. Operators asked for confirmation using a coded phrase, 'water bottle,' which searchers used to convey difficult news. A volunteer's response, 'Water bottle broken,' was interpreted by base operators as the missing person being injured but alive. This led to initial confusion for Ms. Hooper's loved ones.
Approximately 18 minutes later, at 11:45 a.m., an SES volunteer confirmed that Ms. Hooper was deceased. The miscommunication was publicly acknowledged by NSW Premier Chris Minns, who mistakenly informed a budget estimates hearing that Ms. Hooper had been found alive, only to correct his statement minutes later. He later issued an apology, expressing his sorrow for potentially adding to the family's heartbreak.
Despite the distressing miscommunication, Ms. Hooper's father, Jim Hooper, expressed gratitude to the police and volunteers for their persistent efforts. "He told 7News on Friday that he held no anger towards officers," the Daily Mail reported. "He said he was grateful to police and volunteers for never giving up on finding his 'precious girl'."
Police Assistant Commissioner Joseph Cassar stated that the family was informed of the initial belief that Ms. Hooper was alive and that updates were provided promptly. Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon vowed that such a communication error would not happen again, acknowledging the tragic circumstances and committing to reviewing the incident.
A community vigil was held in Oakdale, in Sydney's south-west, on Friday night to remember Ms. Hooper and support her grieving family. "They are a lovely family. She's a lovely girl. Very pretty, blonde hair, blue eyes, very fit," said neighbor Martin Macri.