Missing woman Deborah Pilgrim found after three-day search at Sedan
Deborah Pilgrim, who went missing for three days in bushland, has spoken of her relief after being found safe and well — all thanks to a message scrawled on a driveway.
SA News
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A woman who went missing for three days in bushland “dropped to the ground” in relief when found by patrols overnight.
Deborah Pilgrim, 55, went missing about 6am on Sunday at Sedan, where she had been camping with friends near Pearce Rd, about 1km west of Dry Weather Rd.
Rescuers were alerted to her whereabouts after a local landowner noticed an SOS on their security cameras at around 7pm, allowing them to alert police she was in the area.
The missing camper was found about five hours later, ending a 66-hour ordeal.
An emotional Mrs Pilgrim was reunited with her family after she was discharged from Angaston Hospital early this morning. She has now returned home.
She told reporters she was determined to stay alive, leaving signs and lighting fires in the hope that someone would see them.
She said she “dropped to the ground” in relief when she woke to hear emergency services workers calling her name late last night.
She was found about midnight.
Deborah Pilgrim has just said a tearful thank you to everyone who helped find her. She said she didn’t think anyone was looking #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/jWDpMrp8ZT
— Lauren Rose (@laurenrosevj) October 16, 2019
Landowner Neil Marriott, a retired police officer, said he contacted SA Police after his son alerted him to the SOS message.
Murray Mallee Superintendent James Blandford described the call as instant “euphoria” for worried searchers.
“Wow, there’s our break,” he said.
“There was definitely a buzz. After three days we were really concerned for her.”
Officers found Mrs Pilgrim soon after on a neighbouring property about 1km away.
Supt Blandford said she became “terribly ill” after drinking dirty water at an empty shack.
“(At) the second property she found some soda water. She was hungry when we picked her up,” he said.
“(Now) she’s home safe and sound and has an adventure to talk about.”
Mr Marriott the area was disorientating and that he had gotten three times before.
“It would have been very cold out there,” he said.
“It was wonderful that she was found safe and well.”
Mr Marriott’s wife Betty said she had worried through the night that the SOS message had come from the missing woman.
“I couldn’t sleep all night at first thinking whether it was the girl then when I heard she was found I was so happy I couldn’t sleep,” Mrs Marriott said.
“It’s quite an incredible story.”
Mrs Pilgrim’s mother, Margaret, was glad to receive the news her daughter was found safe and well.
“I can’t thank the essential services enough, all the people who searched for her,” she said.
“They have been kind and supportive.”
Another family member told The Advertiser he wanted to thank the search team for their efforts.
“I only wish to thanks all those for their search efforts and support,” the man, who did not want to be named, said.
Murray Mallee Superintendent James Blandford said she was found several kilometres outside of the police search area.
“We had a defined area, which was over six square kilometres that we were permitted to (search),” he told ABC Radio Adelaide.
“After that, it was really a needle in a hay stack type scenario — we were pretty well coming to the end of what was a viable search area.”
Superintendent Blandford said Ms Pilgrim managed to gain entry to an unoccupied building, where she had shelter and water.
He said all of his officers in the Murray Mallee Region were “overjoyed” with the outcome of the search.
“From our perspective, it’s just such a great news story,” he said.
Mrs Pilgrim appeared to be in good health and was taken to the Angaston Hospital as a precaution.
Police launched a huge search of the area over three days alongside police helicopters, STAR Group, State Tactical Response Group, Murray Mallee police, Mounted Operations and SES volunteers and drones.
Numerous local property owners also joined in the search on foot and on horseback.