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Missing teen found as police continue search for woman

A young family has been found wet and cold in the early hours of this morning off track from a popular hiking trail in a remote part of Northern Tasmania. LATEST UPDATES >>

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Family missing in the Central Highlands

Update: 7:00am Thursday, April 27

A young family has been found wet and cold by rescuers in the early hours of this morning after becoming lost near the Meander Falls track in North Tasmania.

A man and two children aged 10 and 11 were unable to be reached for several hours after they called triple 0 for help at 5:30pm on Wednesday evening.

The group had left around 10:30am that morning planning to undertake the Split Rock Track circuit to the falls and back but became lost.

Tasmania Police arrived at the scene around 6:30pm to find the family’s Mitsubishi still parked in the carpark.

Meander Falls walking track, Split Rock.
Meander Falls walking track, Split Rock.

A search kicked off at 9:30pm which included 13 personnel from Tasmania Police, SES volunteers and paramedics.

The trio were found around 2:45am this morning approximately 150m off the formed track near the falls and were treated for mild hypothermia at the scene.

Alongside rescue crews the familly made their way back to the Meander Falls campsite and were due to walk out of the park around 6am this morning with a two hour walk ahead.

A rescue helicopter was unable to airlift the group out due to poor weather conditions.

9.15pm Wednesday, April 27

A man and two young children are lost on a 10km-return forest trail in northern Tasmania and are unable to be reached by telephone, Tasmania Police has revealed.

Speaking late on Wednesday night, Inspector Darren Hopkins said police received a phone call from the distressed man about 5.30pm, saying he and his two children, aged 10 and 11, were lost on the Meander Falls trail in the Central Highlands.

The man told officers, “We think we’re going the wrong way,” Insp Hopkins said, but the trio have been unable to be reached since.

Officers have discovered the family’s unattended vehicle in the trail’s carpark, Insp Hopkins said.

“We’re throwing everything we can at it,” he said.

Police search and rescue and SES officers have all been dispatched to the trail, but due to weather conditions the Westpac Rescue Helicopter has been unable to leave Hobart.

Insp Hopkins said the man told police the family was equipped with food and wet-weather gear, but due to the prevailing conditions and low temperature, police were concerned for the family’s safety.

Insp Hopkins said it was not known whether the family was local or from interstate.

Concern for missing woman

UPDATE: 7:45am Tuesday, April 26: Tasmania Police have confirmed missing teenager, Isabella Cooper, has been found safe and well.

Officers are continuing their search for 31-year-old Maia Prebble after she disappeared in the state’s south on Sunday night.

Maia Prebble was last seen in the Hobart CBD on Sunday. Picture: Tasmania Police.
Maia Prebble was last seen in the Hobart CBD on Sunday. Picture: Tasmania Police.

She was last seen in Hobart CBD wearing a pink jumper, white shorts and black shoes.

The local is described as six foot tall slim build with short dark hair.

If you have information regarding the whereabouts of Maia, please contact Tasmania Police on 131 444 or call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

UPDATED: Monday, April 25

Maia Prebble.
Maia Prebble.

There are concerns for the welfare of two women currently missing in Tasmania.

Isabella Cooper, 13, was last seen at her Shearwater home in the state’s North West on Sunday night.

Tasmania Police also put out a call out late Sunday night for information regarding the whereabouts of Maia Prebble, 31, who is described as six foot tall slim build with short dark hair.

She was last seen in Hobart CBD wearing a pink jumper, white shorts and black shoes.

If you have information regarding the whereabouts of either woman, please contact Tasmania Police on 131 444 or call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Originally published as Missing teen found as police continue search for woman

Original URL: https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/tasmania/tasmania-police-concerned-for-the-welfare-of-maia-prebble/news-story/87138dc9be4f17056b0cb30c1c6c7cf1