Belgian Woman's Phone Found After Two-Year Disappearance in Tasmania Wilderness

Cremer was last seen on June 17, 2023. (Image from https://australianmissingpersonsregister.com)

Tasmania Police announced on Sunday they would join a privately organized search effort for Belgian woman Celine Cremer, who disappeared in the wilderness over two years ago, following the discovery of her mobile phone in the southern Australian state.

Friends and family members of Cremer coordinated a private search this weekend in the bushlands near Philosopher Falls, the area where she vanished in June 2023. While her vehicle was located nearby by police shortly after her disappearance, multiple extensive searches failed to locate any traces of her until now.

On Saturday, the search party discovered a mobile phone in an area that authorities had previously searched. Tasmania Police confirmed the device belonged to Cremer and stated it would undergo thorough forensic examination. In light of this discovery, police have formally joined the independent search operation.

Inspector Andrew Hanson explained, "Phone data, as well as the location it was found, supports our theory that Celine may have, using an app on her phone, elected to leave the Philosopher Falls track to take a more direct route back to her car as daylight faded."

"We suspect she dropped her phone and continued without it, becoming disoriented in dense terrain."

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, four of Cremer's friends traveled from Belgium to participate in the renewed search effort, which commenced on Saturday and was expected to continue for five days.

Cremer was last seen on June 17, 2023, and her friends reported her missing nine days later. Police had previously stated that the winter weather conditions following her disappearance would not have been survivable for the length of time she was believed to have been exposed to the elements.