The body of Lily Hooper has been airlifted from dense bushland hours after searchers' mix-up in message to her family

By ALASDAIR BELLING and MAISY RAE - NEWS REPORTER and ASHLEY NICKEL, NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA and CANDACE SUTTON, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 00:56, 21 August 2026 | Updated: 00:56, 21 August 2026 The body of Lily Hooper has been airlifted out of dense bushland in southern New South Wales, bringing a tragic end to eight days of search efforts.  Ms Hooper was first reported missing on 12 August after she failed to return from a hike along the Bonnum Pic Trail in Nattai National Park in the Southern Highlands.  The 18-year-old's body was located at about 11.30am on Thursday, but police Assistant Commissioner Joseph Cassar, Southern Region Commander, said air extrication had proven difficult due to the rough terrain.  A NSW Police Spokesperson told the Daily Mail her body was aerially retrieved on Thursday evening and would now undergo a post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death. On Thursday, the family of Ms Hooper endured a heartbreaking ordeal. They were initially told she was found alive, before being later informed she had died.  Searchers had sent a message over radios at 11.27am saying she had been found, to which operators requested they use a 'water bottle analogy' to confirm her condition. 'Water bottle' is a codeword used by searchers to avoid delivering upsetting news to those listening on radios, in this case Lily's family, according to the Daily Telegraph.  A volunteer told the radio ‘water bottle broken’, to which base operators responded: ‘You’ve found our MP (missing person), and they are injured; please relay your exact latitude/longitude’.  Lily Hooper, 18, was found dead on the Bonnum Pic trail, south of Sydney, on Thursday Police were able to extract her body via helicopter, despite challenging terrain making the operation extremely difficult  Hooper's body was located after a multi-day, multi-agency search that included Australian Defence Force personnel The conversation immediately triggered confusion among Lily's loved ones, who believed she was injured but alive. Coordinators asked about Lily’s condition again at 11.45am, and an SES volunteer confirmed she was ‘deceased’.  The mix-up had led NSW Premier Chris Minns to announce at a budget estimates hearing that Lily had been found alive in the bush with 'half a bottle of water'. Minutes later, he told the same inquiry that Lily was dead: 'She has been found deceased, and I only raise that because I gave earlier advice.' Minns then issued an apology via a statement shortly after speaking in NSW Parliament: 'Advice I received earlier today relating to Lily Hooper was incorrect. I genuinely believed I was sharing good news. 'My deepest condolences are with Lily's family. I am profoundly sorry to think that anything I said may have added to their heartbreak at an already devastating time.'  'I think it would be fair to say that they were informed that the initial information [was] that the searchers believed that she was alive, and that's what was communicated,'  Cassar told reporters on Thursday afternoon. 'But like I said, within the eight to 10 minutes, we were able to give an update, which was a more accurate account of the discovery.' Hooper’s family were initially celebrating after being told she had been found alive  NSW Premier Chris Minns also mistakenly told Senate Estimates that Hooper had been found alive  NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon apologised for the misleading information  The Hoopers’ next-door neighbour, Martin Macri, told the Daily Mail that Lily’s family had been out searching every day and evening, not returning until late.  He described the confusion over whether Lily was found alive as 'crushing for the family'. He had been at work when he first heard Lily was alive, only to receive the heartbreaking update later.  ‘They are a lovely family. She’s a lovely girl. Very pretty, blonde hair, blue eyes, very fit. She did karate or something. They are all fit,’ he said.  Police defended the decision to pass on the initial information, saying officers had sought to keep the family updated at every stage rather than withholding developments until every detail had been confirmed. 'There's no playbook to communication,' he said. 'Sometimes due to whatever the circumstances may be, whether it's not an accurate report or communication challenges, sometimes the information provided isn't as accurate as first is received. 'But that's why we continually get updates on this situation.' Pictured, a team searches for Hooper in Nattai National Park NSW Police scoured thick bushland for over a week in an effort to locate Hooper’s body  Federal Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, the local MP for Hooper’s family, described Hooper’s death as a ‘terrible loss’ for the community  The search for Hooper's body was a multi-agency effort, with hundreds of SES volunteers joined by personnel from the Police, Australian Defence Force, Parks and Wildlife Rescue and Fire and Rescue NSW. Initial police inquiries suggested she reached the summit of Bonnum Pic mountain mid-morning on Wednesday, with search efforts focused on the lower portion of the Bonnum Pic walking trail. A popular trail guide app, which describes the 16-kilometre trail as 'strenuous', warns hikers to 'proceed cautiously' on the route. 'Generally considered a highly challenging route, it should only be attempted by experienced adventurers. This trail is great for hiking and walking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring,' the app states. It also warns there is a 'weak' and 'unreliable' mobile signal on the route. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday that Hooper's death was an 'unspeakable tragedy'. 'Lily Hooper had so much more to offer the world,' Albanese said. 'Her passing … will be felt very deeply across the southern highlands, among her family, her friends, and indeed right across the nation.' Angus Taylor, the federal opposition leader and the local MP for the electorate where the Hooper family live, paid tribute, too. 'Any parent who reads this news will hug their children tighter tonight,' he said. 'When they do, they will spare a thought and a prayer for Lily's mother, father, and family who can't do the same. We grieve for their most terrible loss.'