Celine Cremer: Police use helicopters in search for missing Belgian backpacker
Twist in search of missing Belgian backpacker, 31, who disappeared three weeks ago as police used a new tactic in a desperate bid to find her
- Police deploy helicopter in search of missing backpacker
- The weather in Tasmania makes her chances of survival slim
Tasmanian police have deployed a helicopter in their search for a Belgian backpacker who has been missing for two weeks.
A lull in the challenging weather conditions allowed search and rescue crews to use the helicopter to search the area where Celine Cremer went missing on June 17.
The 31-year-old was reported missing on Monday after concerned family and friends raised the alarm.
She was last seen in the small town of Waratah, about 200 km west of Launceston in Tasmania.
Police have deployed a helicopter in the search for 31-year-old Belgian backpacker Celine Cremer (pictured), after she went missing in Tasmanian bushland two weeks ago
On Tuesday, police found her white Honda CRV in the parking lot of the Philosopher Falls Trail, opening a new line of investigation.
Officers hope to speak to a bushwalker who may have been in the area where a missing Belgian backpacker’s car was found.
Search crews continued to search for Ms. Cremer over the weekend, with the State Emergency Service using all-terrain vehicles to search a number of tracks around Philosopher Falls on Saturday.
Due to the recent weather conditions in the Tasmanian bush, the police consider it unlikely to find Mrs Cremer alive.
Police found Mrs Cremer’s white Honda CRV (pictured) in a parking lot on the Philosopher Falls Trail, about 125 miles west of Launceston, on Tuesday
Investigators received a number of calls from members of the public entering the trail between June 17 and June 26.
Police are now investigating whether it is possible that Ms. Cremer’s white Honda CRV was parked in the Philosopher Falls parking lot earlier than June 20.
“Police would like to speak to a walker who was at Philosopher Falls around 2.30pm on Sunday, June 18,” Tasmanian police said in a statement.
“This person is not in trouble, we urge you to get in touch as you may be able to assist us in establishing Ms Cremer’s movements before she goes missing.”
Police believe the chances of finding Ms Cremer alive are slim due to adverse weather in the Tasmanian bush
The person is urged to contact the police on 131 444.
The police will continue the investigation into Mrs Cremer’s movements from June 17.
Inspector Anthea Maingay said the search teams had concentrated their efforts around Philosopher Falls.
“We are continuing our efforts to locate Celine…we have received expert medical advice indicating that the recent weather conditions were unsurvivable during the time Celine is believed to have been exposed in the wilderness,” she said.
“Our thoughts remain with Celine’s family, and we continue our efforts to locate her in an effort to get answers at this tragic time.”
Police are looking for another hiker who was on the trail around 2:30 p.m. on June 19
Police believe the Belgian woman was only rested for a light walk and got lost.
The young traveler had spent several months in Australia and posted about her travels on social media.
Australia is indeed so beautiful! And so big,” she wrote to a friend on a Facebook post.
The Philosopher Falls hiking trail at Waratah remains closed to the public.