“Grateful to have survived”: Carolina Wilga speaks out after miracle survival
- Hge News
- Jul 14
- 2 min read
German backpacker who disappeared in the WA outback has broken her silence after she was miraculously found alive.
A German backpacker who miraculously survived 12 days in the remote Western Australian bush has revealed she got lost after losing control of her car, suffering a significant hit to her head in the accident leaving her in a state of confusion.
Carolina Wilga issued a statement on Monday thanking the community for their search efforts after she was last seen in a small Wheatbelt town on June 29.
“First and foremost, I want to express a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart – a thank you that truly comes from the depth of my soul! For all the incredible supports during the search for me,” Ms Wilga said.
Sharing the message from hospital, Ms Wilga said she was “grateful to have survived”, thanking her “rescuer” and “angel” Tania Henley who found her walking along the road on July 11.
Authorities located Ms Wilga’s car stuck in soft sand in Karroun Hill last week with no sign of the backpacker herself.
Ms Wilga revealed she left her car in a state of confusion after a crash becoming lost in the remote nature reserve.
“Some people might wonder why I even left my car, even though I had water, food, and clothing there,” Ms Wilga said.
“The answer is: I lost control of the car and rolled down a slope. In the crash, I hit my head significantly. As a result of the accident, I left my car in a state of confusion and got lost.”
Reflecting on her experience, Ms Wilga said despite being far from home she now feels deeply connected to the community that rallied around her during her ordeal.
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