The 26-year-old’s van, which is believed to have had mechanical issues, was found by police bogged in bushland in Karroun Hill – but there was no trace of Wilga.
“[It appears] she used pieces of wood to try to free the vehicle from its location, but unfortunately it was unsuccessful,” Inspector Martin Glynn said in an update on Friday.
“It does appear that there’s a soft part of ground she’s gone into and the vehicle’s sunk down into the ground on its base.”
Police had been using trackers in the area but Inspector Glynn said recent rain had made it difficult to determine which direction Wilga may have travelled.
A stranger found her walking along a bush track on Friday afternoon. Photo / WA Police via NewsWire
“The terrain – it’s outback country and there’s large rocky outcrops, so although there’s a number of tracks, you can see how it would be easy to become lost or disorientated in that area if you didn’t know it well.”
Wilga arrived at a general store in Beacon – about 333km northeast of Perth – just after midday on June 29, and left five minutes later driving a black and silver Mitsubishi Delica Star Wagon.
Her friends told police she had intended to travel throughout remote and regional parts of WA.
Wilga's van was found abandoned with mechanical issues, leading to a search by police and volunteers. Photo / WA Police via NewsWire
Wilga has been travelling in Australia for the past two years and regularly contacted her family before she vanished.
Her mother, who is from Castrop-Rauxel in Germany, issued a heartbreaking plea on social media following her daughter’s disappearance.
“I’m her mother and need her [sic] help, as I can’t do much from Germany,” she wrote.
“Carolina is still sorely missed.”
She then issued a heartbreaking plea to others in the area.
“If anyone has any information, please contact the police,” she said. “Please keep your eyes open!”
