Missing family of seven found safe in remote WA after search amid wild weather

The group of seven family members that have been missing in the West Australian outback have been found by police, and are reported to be safe and well.

A Toyota landcruiser

The group consists of two elderly male drivers, four children aged between 12 and 17 and an elderly woman. Source: Supplied / WA Police

The family group that's been missing during wild weather in remote WA has been found, safe and well.

Western Australian police have released a statement that the seven travellers were located by the Police Air Wing.

The statement said arrangements were being made to rescue the travellers and provisions will be provided in the interim.
A car driving on a dirt road
The missing group is reported to be travelling in a white Mitsubishi Triton and a beige Toyota Landcruiser. Source: Supplied / WA Police
The family, which includes four children, left Kalgoorlie Boulder, about 600km east of Perth, in two cars on Sunday and were driving 650km north east toward Tjuntjuntjarra, where they were to arrive on Monday.

They had not been seen since and serious concerns were held for the group which consists of two elderly male drivers, four children aged between 12 and 17 and an elderly woman.

The search for the group has been severely hampered by storms and flooding.

On Wednesday morning, WA Police said the weather conditions meant helicopters and planes could not be used in the search.
Conditions had improved by the afternoon and several aircraft were deployed to search the area.

On Tuesday, a plane looking for the group could only stay in the air for about an hour.

The weather has also affected roads connecting large parts of remote WA.

The Eyre Highway between Norseman and Eucla, in the Goldfields-Esperance region, was reopened for vehicles on Wednesday.

Goldfields Highway between Rosslyn Mine Hill and Meekatharra also reopened for cars and four-wheel drives.

Emergency WA reported that floodways and river levels may rise rapidly and cause damage to roads and bridges along with making driving dangerous.

"Take care on gravel and unsealed roads as they may be slippery and muddy, and you could get bogged," an alert read.

"If your car stalls in rising water, abandon it immediately and seek shelter above floodwater."

Residents in WA's north have also been warned to take action as moderate flooding is expected in Fitzroy Crossing in the Fitzroy River Catchment.

Minor flooding has hit Noonkanbah and may also take place in Looma and Willare, east of Broome.

People in Laverton, Balladonia, Cundeelee, Ilkurlka, Warburton, Yelma and Lake Carnegie in Salt Lakes District Rivers have been warned to "take action" as minor flooding continues.

Leonora Laverton Road remains closed in both directions between Laverton and Leonora along with the Trans Access Road.

A low pressure trough over central and far south-eastern Western Australia has resulted in thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.

Significant rainfall over the past few days has resulted in localised flooding and road closures.

Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms are forecast for Wednesday which are expected to cause further river and creek level rises and overland flooding.

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3 min read
Published 13 March 2024 2:10pm
Updated 13 March 2024 10:08pm
Source: AAP



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