Police in Australia have issued an apology after mistakenly informing Lily Hooper's family that the missing teen was alive before confirming her body had been found
Officials said that the miscommunication occurred due to poor radio signals in rugged terrain during the search in Nattai National Park
Authorities have apologized for the error, and plan to investigate how the false information was shared
Police in Australia have issued an apology after the family of a missing 18-year-old hiker was incorrectly informed that she was alive.
Lily Hooper was last seen leaving a residence in Oakdale, New South Wales, to go for a hike in Nattai National Park, around 80 miles southwest of Sydney, on the morning of Aug. 12, the NSW Police Force said in a statement.
By Thursday, Aug. 20, New South Wales police shared that her body had been located eight days later.
"Following an extensive search, about 11:30 a.m. today, Thursday, Aug. 20, the body of a woman was located in bushland. While yet to be formally identified, the body is believed to be that of the 18-year-old woman," police wrote, adding that a coroner's report was forthcoming.
However, earlier on Thursday, police media told reporters a "hiker" had been found, and Hooper's family could be seen celebrating near the national park site where rescuers had set up camp.
State premier Chris Minns was also handed a a slip of paper at a parliamentary meeting on Thursday and asked, "Is this accurate?"
He then announced that he had "fantastic news" before stating that Hooper had been "found in the bush with half a bottle of water with her," according to CNN, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News and The Guardian.
Minutes later, however, Minns retracted his statement, announcing, "I've got some terrible news. I apologize … Lily's body has been found." He then added, "I'm just profoundly sad for her family."
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said at a press conference on Thursday, "Sadly this morning there was a miscommunication when Lily's body was recovered," CNN reported.
"I unreservedly apologize for that miscommunication," he said, as well as "any additional trauma that may have caused Lily's family, but certainly for the embarrassment and confusion that caused."
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
According to The Guardian, police assistant commissioner Joseph Cassar told the press that search volunteers had previously told police they believed they had found Hooper alive at 11:30 a.m.
The search team had been instructed to report when they found anything, including items of clothing, Cassar added, sharing that the team was also dealing with "thick, dense terrain" as they carried their handheld radios for communication.
"It's very rugged and rough terrain up there and radio communication, like mobile phone communication, as we all experience, when you're in black spots or tricky areas, the information does get broken up a little bit," said SES assistant commissioner Colin Malone, according to The Guardian.
Ten minutes later, the same SES volunteers made a "more accurate" report, Cassar said, but incorrect information had already begun to circulate.
"We sought to communicate, obviously, with the family and the media at the first opportunity," police commissioner Lanyon added during Thursday's press conference, The Guardian reported.
"The miscommunication obviously was born out of elation that Lily had been found," Lanyon said, according to CNN. "Tragically, that miscommunication then led to a deflation."
The search for Hooper began after she failed to return home on the evening of Aug. 12 and loved ones were unable to reach her. Authorities were alerted to her disappearance and an extensive search effort involving several agencies began, the ABC reported at the time.
The teen's vehicle was then located near a walking trail on Wanganderry Road in the west of the Nattai National Park — which is known for having "fairly rugged terrain," said Detective Inspector Benjamin Bowles, according to nine.com.au.
Bowles added that no foul play was suspected in her disappearance, and that she was an experienced hiker.
Police are set to conduct an investigation into how the miscommunication surrounding her death occurred, CNN reported.
Read the original article on People