WA Police acting inspector Jessica Securo told ABC Radio Perth: “Our information to date is she’s likely to become lost in that area, and has potentially walked away from her vehicle.”

Missing German backpacker Carolina Wilga had planned to travel solo around regional Western Australia. Source: AAP / WA Police

Wilga had been travelling and working in Australia for about two years, and had recently told friends she intended to explore regional WA.

Challenging terrain and freezing temperatures

“Although there’s a number of tracks, you can see how it would be easy to become lost or disorientated in that area if you didn’t know it well,” Securo said.

WA Police have released an image of the vehicle driven by Carolina Wilga, who has not been seen since 29 June. They believe she may have gotten lost in the outback after her car broke down. Source: AAP / WA Police

Temperatures in parts of the region dropped below 0 degrees, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, raising concerns about exposure and survival. Rain is expected on Saturday, which could further complicate search efforts.

What are police investigating?