The search for a missing German backpacker has taken a chilling new turn after a burnt-out van matching the description of her vehicle was reportedly discovered near a remote WA campsite.
Carolina Wilga, 26, who has spent two years backpacking around working at mine sites and farms, was last seen with the van on CCTV at a service station in Toodyay, northeast of Perth, on June 28.
She made contact with friends the next day while travelling near Beacon, in WA’s remote Wheatbelt region but then vanished without a trace.
The burnt-out van, stripped of licence plates, was spotted by local man Geoff Roberts in Gnaraloo, on the Ningaloo coast, about 11 hours from Ms Wilga’s last known location.
Mr Roberts raised the alarm after seeing the call for information on the Western Police Force Facebook page.
‘Very similar vehicle to this one burnt out between Gnaraloo 3 Mile camp and the homestead. Plates have been removed,’ he posted on social media, tagging in WA Police.
Police are yet to confirm the link to the missing backpacker, but its discovery has deepened fears for Ms Wilga, who has not been seen or heard from in 12 days.
She was believed to be travelling in the black and silver 1995 Mitsubishi Delica van with WA licence plates 1HDS330 and a distinctive rooftop tent.
Her phone has since been switched off, and investigators say all contact stopped suddenly.
Homicide detectives have now joined the case, although police say it is not officially a murder investigation ‘at this point’.
‘We are very concerned for her welfare,’ WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said.
‘They are investigating – not that it’s a homicide at this point, but we want our very best capabilities to investigate something that is very concerning to us.’
The WA Police air wing has also been deployed, with land and aerial searches underway across the vast outback region.
Ms Wilga is described as having a slim build, long frizzy dark blonde hair, brown eyes, and several tattoos, including on her left arm.
She has not been seen or heard from since her last contact with friends in Beacon.
Before she was last seen, Ms Wilga would also routinely contact her family. They last heard from her on June 18.
The family hold concerns for her welfare due to the lack of ‘regular communication’.
Her devastated mother, Katja from Castrop-Rauxel near Dortmund, appealed to the public for help in response to a post shared on social media.
‘I’m her mother and need her help, as I can’t do much from Germany,’ she commented on a social media post.
‘Carolina is still sorely missed. If anyone has any information, please contact the police. Please keep your eyes open!’
Police are urging anyone with information or dashcam footage from the Beacon area or northeast Wheatbelt between June 29 and July 4 to come forward.