A woman who was missing for almost two weeks in Australia’s Snowy Mountains region has been found alive by emergency services after she was reported being bitten by a snake.
Photographer Lovisa “Kiki” Sjoberg, 48, was last seen driving a rented grey SUV in the Kosciuszko National Park on 15 October, Tuesday, and a huge search operation was launched a week later on Monday.
Ms Sjoberg, a frequent visitor to the park to take pictures of the wildlife for a project, was rescued on Sunday, 5pm, in injured condition with a snake bite.
“About 4.50pm today … the woman was located injured by a National Parks and Wildlife Service officer on the Nungar Creek Trail at Kiandra,” New South Wales police said in a statement on Sunday.
“She was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics for exposure and what is believed to be a snake bite, before she was taken to Cooma district hospital in a stable condition.”
A multi-agency search was launched with two helicopters, the NPWS, the State Emergency Service, the Rural Fire Service, four-wheel drive vehicles, trail bikes, members of the public and sniffer dogs.
The search was launched after the care hire company reported that the SUV was overdue to be returned and the car had not moved from its last location in six days. The car was later found unlocked and abandoned.
Rescuers described the search operations as “difficult” and looking for a "pinhead in a haystack" as temperatures in the area surrounding Kosciuszko National Park dropped to zero degrees in the nights.
Snowy Mountains horse trek operator Peter Cochran who joined the rescue team on horseback said it was an “intense” search in the area covered in "dense scrub".
"All of us who’ve been out searching for her are greatly relieved that she’s alive and well," he said.
"The willingness was there to get out there and try and find her and help retrieve her."
He said scrub was incredibly thick in which one could ride within five metres of it without being noticed.
"It was extremely difficult to find her,” he added.
Local photographer Michelle Brown and her husband Ian also joined the search and hiked 58km to look for her.
"It is such a vast area that it’s basically like finding a pinhead in a haystack," she said.
"She knows the area … this has been her sanctuary, her safe spot," Ms Brown said.
NSW police said Ms Sjoberg it is believed that she was bitten by a copperhead snake four days ago.
“Police would like to thank those involved in the multi-agency search, members of the public and the media for their assistance,” the police said.
