Police commissioner apologises for miscommunication after family told that deceased bushwalker was alive

Missing hiker Lily Hooper has been found after eight days lost in NSW Southern Highlands.

The family of the 18-year-old was informed by police she was found alive just after 11am on Thursday. Rescuers are working to determine her condition.

Hooper was last seen leaving her home in Oakdale in Sydney’s south-west at 8am on Wednesday last week to go on a hike through the national park.

Throughout the day, she remained in contact with her family, but they raised the alarm when she had not returned by 10pm.

Police found her Hyundai parked at the bottom of the challenging Bonnum Pic trail that night.

Close to 100 Australian Defence Force members have joined the search, combining with other emergency services who have been looking for the teenager since she went missing a week ago.

Drones and helicopters have scoured the national park from the sky, while officers have been scouring the bushland on horseback and motorbikes. Firefighters, national park rangers, paramedics and SES volunteers are also involved in the search.

In a statement on Tuesday, Hooper’s family thanked others who had tried to help.

“We appreciate people who have made offers for the search but due to the terrain and conditions we ask just professional search teams continue,” the Hooper family said in the statement distributed by NSW Police.

It followed comments from her father Jim on Monday, who called into 2SM radio for an impromptu interview.

“I just want everyone to throw love and energy because we’ve got to go and find her, got to go find this kid … she’s got to be in there somewhere, mate,” he said.