"Miracle is a word that gets bandied about a lot, but to survive 12 days and cross-country - she went cross country to come to my road," she said. Wilga spent 11 nights in the elements after leaving her bogged vehicle, a decision the German tourist told police she made in a "pure panic".

Police believe search aircraft are their best chance of finding German tourist Carolina Wilga a day after her van was found abandoned in the Australian Outback, an officer said Friday. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

Carolina Wilga, 26, was last seen at a general store in Beacon, a small town around 200 miles from Perth, at about midday on June 29.