German backpacker survives 12 days lost in Western Australia's remote outback

During a solo 350-kilometre road journey across Western Australia, German backpacker Carolina Wilga's car malfunctioned, leading her to abandon the vehicle after a panic-induced collision with a fence. Over the next twelve days she navigated the harsh outback, battling scorching daytime temperatures, freezing nights, heavy rain, and extreme hunger. Wilga recalled moments of despair, including two suicide attempts, before a promise to keep moving kept her alive.

A passerby eventually discovered her near Karroun Hill Nature Reserve, roughly 310 km northeast of Perth, and she was flown to Royal Perth Hospital in stable condition. Medical staff reported minor injuries and extensive mosquito bites, and she later recounted her ordeal in an interview that will include a virtual reunion with her rescuer, Tarnia Henley.