18-year-old Australian woman found dead after eight days of searches; family initially received false news that she had been rescued

After eight days of searching in a remote forested area of Australia, authorities found 18-year-old Lily Hooper dead, while her family had earlier been mistakenly informed that she had been found alive.

Hooper left Oakdale, New South Wales, on August 12 to go hiking in Nattai National Park. When she failed to return home that evening, her family reported her missing and authorities launched a major search-and-rescue operation involving several agencies.

The operation continued for several days in difficult conditions. On Thursday morning, information spread that the young woman had been found alive, bringing relief and joy to the area where the search was taking place. According to CNN, family members celebrated after believing the incident had ended happily.

New South Wales Premier Chris Means also publicly announced the 18-year-old’s rescue during a live broadcast from a parliamentary committee meeting.

But just a few minutes later, Means corrected the announcement and confirmed that Lily Hooper had died.

“I am deeply saddened,” Means said, apologizing for the mistake.

New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lennon also issued a public apology. He said there had been a serious breakdown in communication when the girl was found.

“I apologize for this misunderstanding and for any further trauma it may have caused Lily’s family,” Lennon said.

According to him, the inaccurate information was spread during a moment of intense emotions among those involved in the operation. In fact, the announcement referred to the location of the 18-year-old’s body.

Police said they would investigate both the circumstances of Lily Hooper’s death and how the fatal communication error occurred when informing her family.

Nattai National Park is located about 80 kilometers from Sydney. The area has rugged terrain, steep cliffs and isolated areas. In recent days, the search has been further complicated by strong winds and low nighttime temperatures.