An married couple who vanished last week while visiting a remote area of central Australia have been found after a desperate search.
Northern Territory Police pleaded for public assistance on Monday at 6pm to help find Alex, 64, and Marisol, 58, who had last been seen in the Finke Gorge National Park.
The couple were last spotted on Thursday, November 13, in Palm Valley, a popular tourist spot known for its groves of rare red cabbage palms.
They were then reported missing to police on Monday.
NT Police then confirmed on Tuesday that just over four hours after their plea, officers successfully located the pair safe and well.
Alex and Marisol were travelling to Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park in a silver Isuzu D-Max when they went missing.
Authorities then launched a combined search using police vehicles, aircraft, and with the assistance of Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife.
‘The family last heard from them on the 10th of November where they were constantly sending photos through and … (have) heard nothing since,’ Darwin Watch Commander, Mark Edwards told ABC News on Monday.
Alex, 64, and Marisol, 58, were visiting Finke Gorge National Park when they went missing on November 13. Five days later, they have been found by NT Police
The couple were travelling in a silver Isuzu D-Max through the remote terrain
Finke Gorge National Park, 138km west of Alice Springs, is accessible only by four-wheel drive
‘I mean, in that part of the territory, there is either little or no reception,’ he said during the search.
‘However, obviously because it’s been a week now, you would think that they would have come back into contact somewhere and at least reached out to the family.’
Officers also sent texts to the couple’s mobile phones to attempt to contact them but they were either off or out of range.
Search and Rescue thanked the public for their assistance and reminded locals and visitors that it is important to share travel plans with family or friends when exploring remote areas of the Northern Territory.
