- In short: Seven people, including four children, have been found alive after a three-day search in WA’s flooded outback.
- Authorities were alerted after the group failed to return home to the remote community of Tjuntjuntjara earlier this week.
- What’s next? Arrangements are being made to extricate the group to Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
Seven people have been found alive after becoming stranded for days in Western Australia’s flooded outback.
Air assets successfully located the group late on Wednesday in the remote Goldfields after a three-day search.
Police announced they had urgent welfare concerns for the convoy after they failed to arrive home at the remote Aboriginal community of Tjuntjuntjara as planned.
The three elderly adults and four children, aged between seven and 17, left Kalgoorlie-Boulder in two cars between 10am and 2pm on Sunday.
Since then, a large stationary trough has dumped torrential rain over the region, causing damage to roads and hampering search efforts.
Two of the travellers have been identified as senior elder and celebrated artist Mr Walker, 74, and Mr Rictor, whose family was the last known group of Aboriginal people to live a traditional nomadic life in Australia.
The others in the group have been named as Tanya Williams, Katrina Walker, Mae Lee Davies, 7, Shuana Davies, and Lily Davies.
Paupiyala Tjarutja Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Jon Lark said the news came as a relief to the community.
“Everybody’s so relieved and so happy,” he said.
“Clearly from the photo we can see everybody is looking very fine and healthy and happy, of course this is how we hoped they would be.”
“The next step will be by tomorrow morning to extricate them back to Kalgoorlie, to make sure that they’re all okay and checked up and that they’re safe.”
Police say arrangements are being made to rescue the group, with food and water to be provided in the interim.
Located about 700 kilometres inland from Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Tjuntjuntjara is home to about 200 people.
It is managed by the Paupiyala Tjarutja Aboriginal Corporation on behalf of the Spinifex people.
It is one of the most remote Aboriginal communities in Australia.
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