Tasmania has welcomed an interstate cadaver dog to aid in the hunt for a missing Belgian traveler who went missing last month.
After Céline Cremer’s empty white Honda CRV was reported missing on June 26, investigators discovered it the next day in the parking lot of the Philosopher Falls walking trail in the state’s northwest, close to Waratah.
The 31-year-old is thought to have been hiking in the area before going missing, and the days that followed saw frigid weather, snow, and rain.
Search operations have gone on for a month despite the challenging terrain and hazardous weather.
However, no trace of Cremer was discovered, and on July 10 the search was declared halted.
The cadaver dog, according to Inspector Anthea Maingay, is being utilized to do more searches in the Philosopher’s Falls area.
“The search involved a broad range of police and SES resources, including ground crews, police drones and helicopters, specialist search and rescue rappelling, and ATVs,” she added.
“Last week, authorities acquired more details about Celine’s cellphone usage, and an examination revealed a new area of interest in the Philosopher’s Falls Area.
“This week, members of Tasmania SES and police Search and Rescue performed ground searches in the updated area of interest, but no indications of Celine were found.
“The family of Celine is still in our prayers.”
Maingay has issued a call for help from anyone who may have spotted the woman.
She stated that “her vehicle, a white Honda, was discovered in the Philosopher Falls Track parking lot on June 27; information suggests it was there on June 20, and it may have been there as early as June 17.”
On June 21, Cremer was scheduled to board the Spirit of Tasmania and travel to the mainland.
She failed to show up at the terminal.
She was last seen on June 17 in the neighboring town of Waratah.
The tense wait, according to Cremer’s sister Amélie, is the “most difficult thing,” she told 9news.com.au last month.
We just want to know since we are powerless here, she said.
She begged, “Just open your eyes, and if you have time, please go and search with the police for our family.”
“Regardless of the problem, I keep hoping to find her; I just want to know where she is.”
