Family of four who went missing in the OUTBACK after GPS error found after 2 days
TIBOOBURRA, NEW SOUTH WALES: Darian Aspinall, 27, her two young children, aged two and four, and their grandmother, Lead Gooding, 50, were on a mission to shift states from Queensland to Adelaide. However, their Google maps led them astray, causing them to deviate off track and leaving them stranded. After almost two days of being lost in the wilderness of New South Wales, the family of four was eventually found, as seen in a video that has recently released.
A helicopter crew located the family on Tuesday, August 9, after spotting their car on a dirt road in southeast Tibooburra, in far-northwest NSW. Nick Shrew, the pilot of the AeroTech Hems, claimed that the family was attempting to attract his attention by waving their apparel in the air, 7News Australia reported.
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"The ladies there were waving at us and so as we passed down one side I opened the window and waved back at them to let them know that we'd seen them," Shrew said. "It was plainly clear when we landed and got out of the aircraft the sense of relief that they had, it was an emotional moment." The family is thought to have walked for four hours in search of assistance before heading back to their car.
#EXCLUSIVE: Tonight, #9News reveals the heartwarming moment a family of four - missing in outback NSW for more than 48 hours - was finally found. @em_partridge pic.twitter.com/WYy9H7AgNm
— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) August 10, 2022
In a press conference on August 9, Tuesday, Detective Inspector Tom Aylett cautioned citizens against GPS systems that reroute to roads "that aren't accessible." Between 12:30 pm and 3 pm on Sunday, August 7, the family departed the Noccundra Hotel on Warry Gate Road in Queensland.
The four-member family was later reported missing in the wilderness and an official police investigation was started after they were unable to be reached. However, on Tuesday, August 9, afternoon, there was a revelation when police announced that the family had been located alive and healthy.
A family of four have been found safe and well after going missing in outback NSW for days.
— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) August 10, 2022
Their story has now prompted a warning from authorities. @em_partridge #9News
MORE: https://t.co/YNaxSuvD6C pic.twitter.com/fb8vJpNsWv
Police stated that a "search and rescue helicopter located a vehicle off-track, about 50km southeast of Tibooburra, about 4:15 pm today. The helicopter landed, and confirmed it was the Hyundai Tucson, with the four occupants located safe and well inside the vehicle."
Linny Bellamy, the father of the children, described the measures his family took to protect their survival while stranded alone in the wilderness for two continuous days. He said that they survived out off roadside puddles and used a reflector to draw the attention of a police search helicopter.
"I can't believe they managed to stay as strong as they did," Bellamy said. "They looked after each other and just tried to ration everything out." He claimed that, although being exhausted, his family looked fine.
REUNITED: This is the emotional moment Darian Aspinall was finally reunited with her fiancé, after 2 desperate days stranded in the outback with their young children.
— Hannah Foord (@HannahFoord7) August 11, 2022
More in our bulletins at 11.30,4 & 6pm.
@7NewsAdelaide pic.twitter.com/evGvEv4WpQ