Australian hiker, 18, found dead after family mistakenly told she was alive

An 18-year-old Australian hiker, Lily Hooper, was found dead eight days after she disappeared during a solo trip in Nattai National Park, New South Wales. Her family had been mistakenly told she was alive earlier in the search.

Hooper was last seen leaving her Oakdale home last Wednesday for a hike in the national park, approximately 62 miles away, but did not return that night. Her Hyundai was discovered at the base of a challenging trail later that evening, an hour after her family reported her missing.

An extensive search involving around 1,000 people, including volunteers, law enforcement, and military personnel, scoured the dense bushland for days. On Thursday, volunteers reported to law enforcement at approximately 11:30 a.m. local time that Hooper had been found alive, according to New South Wales Police Assistant Commissioner Joseph Cassar. However, additional information was soon received.

"Within eight to 10 minutes, we were able to give [her family] an update, which was a more accurate account of the discovery of the person we believed to be Lily," Cassar stated. "My absolute condolences go out to Lily’s mom and dad."

Cassar attributed the mistaken communication to difficulties with handheld devices used in the field. "They’re carrying handheld communication devices… sometimes the communication is a challenge," he explained. New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon apologized for the error, stating, "This is not a circumstance I would like to see repeated and again I apologize for any trauma or embarrassment this has caused."

The initial, incorrect report of Hooper being found alive was relayed to New South Wales Premier Chris Minns while he was addressing a parliamentary committee. He announced the news, stating, "We’ve got some fantastic news, Mr Chair. Lily Hooper has been found alive."

Moments later, Minns was forced to retract his statement. "I’ve got some terrible news," he told lawmakers. "I apologize… Lily’s body has been found."

The cause of Hooper's death remains unclear, and it is not known if she sustained any injuries. Her body was found a significant distance from where her vehicle was parked, not on a clear, walkable track. Cassar noted that extracting her body from the national park is proving to be exceptionally difficult, and she will likely be carried out on foot.

Just days before the discovery, Hooper's father, Jim, issued a public appeal, urging searchers to "throw love and energy because we’ve got to go and find her."