Body of missing teen Lily Hooper found after eight
The body of 18-year-old hiker Lily Hooper has been recovered in Sydney bushland after an eight-day search. The discovery was marred by a communication error that led officials to incorrectly announce she had been found alive.
Why it matters
The tragic outcome and the subsequent government apology highlight the challenges of search and rescue operations and the importance of accurate information dissemination.
The body of a missing teenage hiker has been found eight days after she disappeared in Sydney bushland.
Lily Hooper was found by search teams at 1pm (NZ time) today, with plans in place to winch her out with a helicopter, according to 7 News.
New South Wales police said the body had not yet been formally identified but was believed to be that of the 18-year-old.
An internal investigation will be launched after Premier Chris Minns and senior authorities mistakenly declared Lily was alive, news.com.au reported.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Joseph Cassar said police told Hooper’s family she was alive based on an initial report from the search scene.
He said a “more accurate account” reached police about eight to 10 minutes later.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in