Lily Hooper: Body believed to be missing teen hiker recovered from NSW bushland after tragic miscommunication

The body of a woman believed to be missing hiker Lily Hooper has been recovered from bushland in NSW Southern Highlands overnight.

The body was airlifted from Nattai National Park on Thursday night after an extensive eight day search ended in the discovery of the body, NSW Police told The Nightly.

The force said a port-mortem examination will be conducted in the coming days to determine the cause of death and formally identify Ms Hooper.

An SES rescuer made the discovery about 11.30am on Thursday after hundreds of people joined a multi-agency search to find the 18-year-old when she vanished on August 12 after she set out that morning on a hike.

Initial reports from rescuers led to confusion about Ms Hooper’s condition, which resulted in the teen’s parents being incorrectly told she was alive despite her body being found.

It wasn’t until after an “eight to 10 minute period” her parents were given the correct information that their daughter was deceased, police said.

In that time, NSW Premier Chris Minns relayed the incorrect update in a budget estimates hearing after receiving the wrong details.

Assistant Commissioner Joseph Cassar said it was not just the Premier who had been delivered false information, but Ms Hooper’s parents, too.

“The initial information that the searchers believed she was alive and that was communicated (to the parents),” he said.

Ms Hooper’s cause and time of death has not yet been determined and will form part of the investigation.

When asked what Mr Cassar’s message to the parents was regarding the miscommunication, he did not apologise.

“I think the only thing I can sincerely say is - my absolute condolences go out to Lily’s mum and dad,” he said.

“Everyone of the investigators and the searchers, whether the volunteers or head personnel, hoped for a more positive outcome.