Fresh search teams to scour Nattai national park for Lily Hooper, 18, who failed to return home from a bushwalk
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The search for an 18-year-old bushwalker missing in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales since Wednesday is continuing, with fresh teams arriving at the Nattai national park on Saturday morning.
Lily Hooper left her home in Sydney’s south-west about 8am on 12 August, after telling family she was going for a hike in the national park, north-west of Mittagong.
The experienced hiker was reported missing when she did not return that evening and could not be reached, despite having sent messages from the park earlier in the day.
A search began with her car found parked on Wanganderry Road, near the start of the Bonnum Pic Walking Trail at High Range, about 11pm that night.
On Saturday, NSW police said in a statement that initial inquiries indicated Hooper reached the summit of Bonnum Pic about mid-morning on Wednesday, but had made no further contact since then.
A multi-agency search – involving local police, regional Police Rescue, NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue NSW, the State Emergency Service and members of Hooper’s family – has not found any further signs of the teen.
Defence force personnel joined the search on Friday, with drones, an ambulance helicopter and specialist rescuers, including trail-bike riders, also involved.
A NSW police spokesperson said the search continued overnight and fresh teams arrived at the park at 7am on Saturday.
On Friday, Det Insp Benjamin Bowles said authorities were concerned for Hooper’s safety.
But he said he remained optimistic, and that Hooper was an experienced hiker.
“We have not been able to fully confirm what supplies [Hooper] had with her at the time, but we are still hopeful that we will be able to locate her safe and sound,” he said.
“We don’t have any information to suggest that this is anything other than an overdue hiker.”
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, told reporters on Friday he was “praying for good news”.
