Footage has captured the rugged terrain where a backpacker disappeared with police seeking help from a bushwalker who might have been in the area.
Police are focusing on a waterfall in northwest Tasmania in their search for Belgian tourist Celine Cremer, 31, after she vanished near a remote walking track on June 17.
Police released drone footage of the area they are searching with video showing cascading falls surrounded by dense greenery.
Rescue teams have been searching for Ms Cremer for almost two weeks battling through the unforgiving terrain and thick bushland.
Ms Cremer was last seen in Waratah, near Cradle Mountain in Tasmania’s north west, on June 17 and police are now hoping to speak to a hiker who was in the area at about 2:30pm on June 18.
Police are focusing on a waterfall in northwest Tasmania in their search for Celine Cremer, 31 and a Belgian tourist, who is feared dead after vanishing near a remote walking track
The unforgiving terrain throughout the dense jungle has seen rescue teams throghout the area as they continue their surveying which has stretched beyond a week
This unidentified walker could hold invaluable clues as to the whereabouts of Ms Cremer, Tasmanian Police have claimed.
‘This person is not in any trouble we urge you to make contact as you may be able to assist us in establishing Ms Cremer’s movements prior to her going missing,’ a police spokesperson said.
Crews are battling freezing temperatures, snow, rain and dense bushland in their search.
Recent temperatures have lessened the hope of finding Ms Cremer alive, with the fact that she was lightly equipped at the time of her disappearance.
Steep cliffs and overhanging trees are also making the search extremely difficult by limiting aerial views and spreading the search through multiple levels of the forrest.
Officers were on Friday focusing their efforts around Philosopher Falls waterfall, rappelling from a viewing platform to search surrounding bushland and thick vegetation.
Tasmania Police Inspector Anthea Maingay said Ms Cremer was feared dead after police received expert medical advice indicating she could not have survived recent weather conditions if exposed in the wilderness.
Inspector Maingay said initial investigations indicate that Ms Cremer is an ‘inexperienced hiker’ who was only prepared for ‘light day travel’.
‘We’re continuing our efforts to locate Celine, but as we explained yesterday we have received expert medical advice that indicates the recent weather conditions were not survivable for the length of time that Celine is thought to have been exposed in the wilderness,’ Insp Maingay said.
‘Our information indicates Celine’s car has been in the car park since at least 20 June and we believe she was only equipped for a light day walk,’ Insp Maingay said in a statement on Friday.
‘Our thoughts remain with Celine’s family and we are continuing our efforts to locate her in an attempt for them to have some answers at this tragic time.’
‘Our thoughts remain with Celine’s family and we are continuing our efforts to locate her in an attempt for them to have some answers at this tragic time.’
She added no new evidence has been found in her disappearance and there is no suggestion of foul play.
Philosopher Falls walking track remains closed as the search continues.
Tasmania Police Inspector Anthea Maingay reiterated Ms Cremer was feared dead after police received expert medical advice indicating she could not have survived recent weather conditions if exposed in the wilderness
Police are now hoping to speak to a walker who was there about 2:30pm on Sunday, June 18 who could hold invaluable clues as to the whereabouts of Ms Cremer
Inspector Darren Hopkins, who heads search and rescue efforts in the state’s north, told ABC conditions said rather than doing broad searches, teams focused efforts on where missing hikers were likely to be.
‘If it’s thick impenetrable scrub, then our search parties have to be way closer together, so we need more people to search the same area, and it becomes very difficult to see through the search area,’ he said.
The search effort has been hampered by rough weather due to light snowfall in the area and dense bushland but police are confident that it is a ‘search and rescue operation’.
The family have made a desperate plea for help to find Ms Cremer, claiming they have had ‘no signs of life’ from her since June 16.
‘If you have any information on my sister, please contact me directly or my mum Ariane,’ Ms Cremer’s sister Amelie wrote on Facebook.
‘Please share this post widely and help us find her.’ ️
Night-time temperatures in the area have been dropping to near freezing.
A photo, posted to Facebook on February 22, shows a playful and smiling Ms Cremer standing at wilderness lookout using her hands to make ‘devil’s horns’ on her head.
The photo is captioned ‘Un petit diable en Tasmanie’ (A little devil in Tasmania).
Police believe when Ms Cremer left Hobart earlier in June she planned to travel to Tasmania’s west coast.
A photo, posted to Facebook on February 22, shows a playful and smiling Ms Cremer standing at wilderness lookout using her hands to make ‘devil’s horns’ on her head
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk