Woman rescued after 12 nights stranded in Australian Outback, 2 others still missing

Woman rescued after 12 nights stranded in Australian Outback, 2 others still missing

DARWIN, Australia - A woman who was stranded in the arid central Australian Outback almost two weeks ago has been rescued, and a search was continuing on Monday (Dec 2) for her two friends.

Ms Tamra McBeath-Riley, 52, was being treated at an Alice Springs hospital for dehydration and exposure after she was found late on Sunday, police superintendent Pauline Vicary said.

The air search continued on Monday for her friends Claire Hockridge, 46, and Phu Tran, 40.

The three set out from Alice Springs for an afternoon drive on Nov 19 and their car became bogged in a riverbed south-west of the town.

Ms McBeath-Riley found water about 1.5km north of the car.

"Sensibly, she appears to have stayed where the water is and has been drinking that and that's probably what kept her going," Ms Vicary told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

A note left in the vehicle and dated Nov 21 suggested the other two had headed west.

A cattle rancher played a key role in saving the woman, telling police he had spotted tyre tracks in an area that had not been searched.

"As a result of that information, we were able to locate the vehicle and then from there, they have followed some of the other tracks and have located her," Ms Vicary said.

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