A private investigator has found a mobile phone that belongs to a Belgian tourist that went missing the Australian island state of Tasmania in June 2023. Australian media report the phone belonged to Céline Cremer from Liège.
The 31-year-old was last seen on 17 June 2023 in the small town of Waratah, about 10km from the hike leading to Philosopher Falls, a popular landmark. Her friends and family alerted the authorities shortly after she had failed to make a ferry crossing. Céline Crfemer’s car found in a car park at the start of the trail leading to Philosopher Falls. Several attempts were made to find her, before police eventually called of the search on 10 July 2023.
During a recent search operation led by the private investigator Ken Gamble and involving four of Céline’s that had travelled to Tasmania from Belgium, a Samsung mobile phone with a lilac case was found.
The man that had found the case told the Australian broadcaster ABC that “I just melted. I couldn’t talk. I just could not talk. You could see her friends were delighted something was had been found.”
The phone’s serial number linked it to Céline and her friends recognised the device and its case. It was found 60m from her last recorded location. The device is now being examined by detectives.
Tasmanian police had previously suggested Céline had started her walk in bad weather conditions. In June, it can snow heavily in the area and temperatures can drop below 0°. The dense vegetation also makes the terrain difficult to access.