Tasmania Police suspend search for missing Belgian tourist Celine Cremer at Philosopher Falls near Waratah
The family of missing Belgium tourist Celine Cremer are “devastated” after police officially suspended the search for the 31-year-old in Tasmania’s wilderness.
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The family of missing Belgium tourist Celine Cremer are “devastated” after police officially suspended the search in Tasmania’s wilderness.
Following “a comprehensive review”, police have formally suspended the significant search effort in the Waratah area for the missing 31-year-old.
Commander Stuart Wilkinson said a major search including police and SES ground crews, specialist swiftwater rescue personnel, ATVs, drones and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter had been undertaken in the Philosophers Falls area since June 27 when Celine’s vehicle was found unattended in the carpark.
“Considerable search efforts have been undertaken in difficult terrain and treacherous weather conditions but unfortunately Celine has not been located,” Commander Wilkinson said.
“Expert medical advice has been received that given consideration to poor weather conditions and cool temperatures, Celine could not have survived the conditions she has been exposed to since she was reported missing.”
Commander Wilkinson said Tasmania Police had been in constant contact with Celine’s family throughout the search efforts.
“It’s obviously a distressing situation, and they’re understandably devastated,” he said.
“As we suspend the formal search, I extend our thoughts to Celine’s family and loved ones at this difficult time”.
Missing person investigations in relation to Ms Cremer remained active.
“I’d like to acknowledge everyone involved in this extensive search, with particular thanks to our SES volunteers, who helped us cover a wide expanse of tough terrain – on the ground on foot and on ATVs,” Commander Wilkinson said.
“Any further information relevant to Celine will be thoroughly followed up and we still hope to bring closure to her family and loved ones.”
No answers: Police look to next steps in search for missing tourist
July 4: A last-ditch search attempt to find a trace of missing Belgian tourist Celine Cremer has failed to uncover any sign of the woman – as officers determine their next steps.
Police, as well as search and rescue personnel conducted swift water searches at Philosopher Falls, Waratah on Tuesday.
Inspector Anthea Maingay said no signs of 31-year-old Ms Cremer had been found during the search.
“Unfortunately today’s search efforts did not provide us with any further answers about Celine’s whereabouts,” Inspector Maingay said.
Ms Cremer’s car has been parked at the Philosopher Falls car park since at least Tuesday, June 20, but Inspector Maingay said Celine could have been in the area even earlier than that.
Ms Cremer was reported missing on Monday, June 26.
“We’re asking anyone who was in the Philosopher Falls area [June 17 and 18] to contact us, whether they think they have relevant information or not,” she said.
Expert advice given to Tasmania Police last week indicated that because of the freezing temperatures and even snow in the area, it was unlikely Ms Cremer would have survived the conditions she had been exposed to.
“We are continuing to review the search effort so far to determine next steps, and our thoughts continue to be with Celine’s family and loved ones at this difficult time,” Inspector Maingay said.
Hopes fade: Last ditch effort before search for missing tourist ‘scales back’
July 3: As the hopes of finding missing Belgian tourist Celine Cremer alive fade, police and SES personnel will resort to conducting a “swift water search” along a remote waterfall track in the state’s North West.
Police found Ms Cremer’s car, a white Honda CRV, at the entrance to the Philosopher Falls track area on Tuesday, June 27.
Detectives were led to the scene by a signal from the 31-year-old’s phone.
She has not been seen since Saturday, June 17 at Waratah, 9kms away from where her car was located.
Ms Cremer was reported missing on Monday, June 26.
A weekend search including ATV’s, waterfall rappelling, drones, helicopters and extensive foot patrols yielded no results.
Inspector Anthea Maingay said a “swift water search” on Tuesday would hopefully “provide answers for Celine’s family”.
“Unfortunately no further signs of Celine have been located since her car was found in the Philosopher Falls car park,” Insp Maingay said.
“Weather conditions have been challenging, with personnel facing freezing temperatures, snow, rain and strong winds over the past week.
“On Tuesday we will utilise more resources to conduct swift water searching in the area.
“We’re doing this in a bid to find some answers for Celine’s family, before we begin to scale back the search.
“Last week we received expert medical advice indicating Celine could not have survived the conditions she has been exposed to.
“Our thoughts continue to be with Celine’s family and loved ones at this difficult time,” she said.
The Philosopher Falls walking track at Waratah remains closed to the public.
Police use ATVs to search wilderness for missing tourist
July 2: Police are continuing the search for missing Belgian woman Celine Cremer in denser bushland using all-terrain vehicles.
Tasmania Police Search and Rescue personnel together with Tasmania SES will conduct further ground searches on Sunday focusing on a track offset search of Butlers Road.
Police continue to investigate Ms Cremer’s movements from June 17 after her white Honda CRV was located in the car park of the Philosopher Falls walking track on June 27.
Ms Cremer was reported missing on Monday, June 26.
Tasmania Police search controllers will begin a review of the search areas on Sunday.
“Our thoughts continue to be with Ms Cremer’s family and loved ones at this difficult time,” police said.
The Philosopher Falls walking track at Waratah remains closed to the public.
Missing Belgian may have set off on walk before June 20
July 1, 4pm: The hiker police were seeking as part of ongoing search for missing Belgian bushwalker Celine Cremer has come forward.
The hiker, who was at Philosopher Falls around 2.30pm on Sunday, June 18, is not in any trouble but is helping assist police in establishing Ms Cremer’s movements prior to her going missing, police said in a statement.
“Police would like to thank the hiker for making contact as well as other members of the public who have provided information,” they said.
The search is continuing.
July 1, 10am: Tasmania Police has revealed that missing Belgian woman Celine Cremer, 31, understood to have departed for a walk in the remote takayna/ Tarkine rainforest and never returned, may have departed earlier than originally believed.
The search for Ms Cremer, who was reported missing by her family on June 26, continued on Saturday with Tasmanian SES personnel using ATV’s to search a number of tracks around Philosopher Falls near Waratah.
Police continue to investigate Ms Cremer’s movements from June 17 until she was reported missing nine days later.
A number of members of the public who have accessed the walking track since June 17 have contacted police outlining there observations while at the location.
It is possible that Ms Cremer’s white Honda CRV may have been in the car park of the Philosopher Falls car park earlier than June 20, the date she was previously believed to have set out on the walk, police said.
Police would like to speak to a walker who was at Philosopher Falls about 2.30pm on Sunday, June 18.
“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 spokeswoman said.
“Police would like to thank those who have come forward with information.”
The Philosopher Falls walking track at Waratah remains closed to the public.
On Thursday, Inspector Anthea Maingay voiced the police belief that if Ms Cremer were indeed lost at Philosopher Falls, the prevailing conditions were “not survivable”.
“Weather conditions have been challenging over the past few days, with freezing temperatures, snow and rain occurring,” she previously said.
“Unfortunately, we have received expert medical advice that indicates the recent conditions are not survivable for the length of time that Celine is thought to have been exposed in the wilderness.”
June 30: Drone footage has captured the unforgiving forest landscape around a remote waterfall area in Tasmania’s North West, where search efforts continue to find missing Belgian tourist Celine Cremer.
Ms Cremer was last seen on Saturday, June 17 in the Waratah area. Ten days later, her abandoned white Honda CRV was found 500 metres along an unsealed road at the entrance to Philosopher Falls track, 9km outside the township.
It comes as Inspector Anthea Maingay on Thursday shared grave concerns for the 31-year-old tourist, saying the extreme weather conditions were “not survivable”.
On Friday, police and SES personnel continued search efforts in the dense bushland area, with a focus on the falls themselves.
Insp Maingay said police search and rescue personnel were “rappelling from the viewing platform to search in the surrounding bushland and thick vegetation.”
“We’re continuing our efforts to locate Celine, but as we explained Thursday 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.
“At this stage no further signs of Celine have been located since her car was found in the Philosopher Falls car park on Tuesday.”
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.
“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.”
The track remains closed to the public.
‘Not survivable’: Grim update in search for missing tourist
June 29: The freezing and blustery weather conditions in the Tassie wilderness the past few days “are not survivable” for missing Belgian tourist Celine Cremer, police say.
Inspector Anthea Maingay said police had growing concerns amid the continuing weather conditions as the search continued for the 31-year-old in Waratah.
“The search so far has included ground search crews and police drones and helicopters, but unfortunately no further signs of Celine have been located since her car was found in the Philosopher Falls car park on Tuesday,” she said.
“Weather conditions have been challenging over the past few days, with freezing temperatures, snow and rain occurring.
“Unfortunately, we have received expert medical advice that indicates the recent conditions are not survivable for the length of time that Celine is thought to have been exposed in the wilderness.”
Insp Maingay said police believe Celine’s car has been in the carpark since at least June 20, with information indicating she was only equipped for a light day walk.
“The search effort is continuing but we are dealing with extremely dense bushland and the challenging weather conditions are expected to worsen over the coming days,” Insp Maingay said.
“We remain in close contact with Celine’s family, and our thoughts continue to be with them.”
The Philosopher Falls walking track at Waratah remains closed to the public while police conduct searches in the area, assisted by Tasmania SES.
Phone signal fires before Belgian tourist vanishe
June 28: Police say Celine Cremer’s phone sent out a signal the day the Belgian tourist went missing in a remote part of Tasmania’s North West.
On Wednesday, police and SES personnel ramped up search efforts around the Philosopher Falls track area, approximately nine kilometres outside Waratah, where her car was found abandoned.
The car, a white Honda CRV bearing the registration E40TF, was found on Tuesday 500 metres up an unsealed road at the entrance to the walking track.
The 31-year-old has not been seen since Saturday, June 17, where she was reportedly sighted in the Waratah area.
It comes as Ms Cremer’s family including her sister and mother have made a desperate plea on social media to find her.
And while the family has feared the worst, police are confident that at this stage, it was a “search and rescue operation” – as opposed to a recovery operation to find a body.
Burnie Police Inspector Anthea Maingay said on Wednesday a phone signal had gone out from Ms Cremer’s phone on June 20, the day she was reported missing by her family abroad.
However, Insp Maingay said police were yet to find new evidence – only the Belgian national’s car.
“Police are following several leads ... all indications suggest Ms Cremer was travelling alone,” Insp Maingay said.
She said initial investigations indicated Ms Cremer was “just lost” and that there was no suggestion of foul play.
“We will continue to maintain contact with the family as our investigation progresses. It’s obviously a very distressing situation for the family,” Insp Maingay said.
Earlier on Wednesday, police said search efforts had been hampered by rough weather conditions, which were “poor” due to light snowfall in the area – with the park dominated by dense bushland and waterfalls.
Both ground and aerial searches were conducted before the search was paused on Wednesday afternoon, where they will continue on Thursday.
The track, upgraded in 2010, has been closed to the public to allow police to conduct effective search patrols.
Authorities are urging anyone who has been in the Philosopher Falls track area since June 17 to call police on 131 444.
Originally published as Tasmania Police suspend search for missing Belgian tourist Celine Cremer at Philosopher Falls near Waratah
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