Reuters
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Police in Australia’s Tasmania state said Sunday they will join a private search effort after the mobile phone of a Belgian woman who went missing in the wilderness more than two years ago was found in the southern island state.
Friends and family of Celine Cremer have arranged a private search this weekend in bushland near Philosopha Falls, where she went missing in June 2023.
A few days later, her car was found nearby by police, but despite multiple searches, no trace of her was found.
On Saturday, searchers found a mobile phone in an area previously searched by authorities, which has been confirmed as belonging to Kremer and will undergo further forensic testing, Tasmania Police said in a statement, adding it would formally join an independent search operation.
“The cell phone data and location where she was found support our theory that Celine may have used a cell phone app to leave the Philosopha Falls truck as nightfall and chose to take a more direct route back to her vehicle,” said Detective Inspector Andrew Hanson.
“We believe she dropped her phone and continued walking without it, becoming disoriented in the dense terrain.”
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said four of Kremer’s friends have traveled from Belgium to join the search, which will begin on Saturday and last for five days.
Cremer was last seen on June 17, 2023, and friends reported her missing nine days later.
Police said winter weather conditions in the days following her disappearance were not conducive to survival for the length of time she was believed to have been exposed.
