Two Chinese backpackers who went missing after driving off a bridge during severe flooding in Queensland have been found in a submerged car in Australia and recovered by authorities. This tragedy has sparked calls for enhanced tourist flood warning systems.
Qingwei Qiu and Yuchen Guo were traveling from Brisbane to North Burnett region when they vanished from sight. Their families are devastated at their disappearance.
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1. Flood warnings remain in place
Two Chinese backpackers who went missing during extreme weather in Queensland, Australia have been located. A 26-year-old male traveller and 23-year-old female were heading from Brisbane to Mundubbera in North Burnett region when their Subaru Forester vanished during floodwaters on Tuesday – prompting search efforts by police, State Emergency Service, and helicopters; their family have been informed and the Chinese consulate contacted. Their bodies were later located inside their vehicle near Kilkivan town in Gympie on Wednesday afternoon near Kilkivan which had been submerged under floodwaters on Wednesday afternoon near Kilkivan town.
Major flooding remains in place across the region, and authorities anticipate more homes could be affected. The Burnett River peaked at 7.4 meters with heavy falls up to 250 millimeters reported in certain locations; fears have also arisen for crocodiles lurking within floodwaters, while deaths of backpackers has spurred on calls for stronger tourist flood warning systems in Australia.
2. The two backpackers were on their way to Mundubbera to start fruit-picking
Two bodies believed to be Chinese have been discovered from submerged vehicles in Queensland floodwaters on Thursday. Police reported they found two 26-year-old male and 23-year-old female bodies from China travelling from Brisbane to Mundubbera for fruit picking; next of kin have been informed and formal identification processes are currently ongoing.
The silver Subaru Forester of two backpackers was found submerged in floodwater on Kilkivan Tansey Road near Mundubbera, northwest of Bundaberg. Friends who were worried for them noticed it and reported it to authorities; police, SES personnel and helicopters searched an area from Kilkivan to Mundubbera on Wednesday in search of them.
Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig described the deaths as an “absolute tragedy.” He called for stronger tourist flood warnings and advised against making dangerous river crossings. Furthermore, Gympie was hard hit by weather–up to 400mm of rainfall fell within 24 hours and caused extensive crop, fence and road damage.
3. The backpackers’ car was found in floodwaters
Chinese backpackers were discovered dead in their submerged car in Queensland. A 26-year-old male and 23-year-old female, driving from Brisbane to the North Burnett region when they failed to arrive as planned on Tuesday were reported missing on Wednesday and police, State Emergency Service and helicopters began an extensive search effort for their Subaru Forester near Kilkivan that had become submerged by flooding waters. Their silver Subaru was eventually located near Kilkivan on Thursday near Kilkivan having been completely submerged.
As severe flooding continues to impact parts of Queensland, including Burnett River reaching 7.4 meters and flooding hundreds of homes, residents have been advised to remain away from flood waters as well as areas that could contain crocodiles.
Families of both backpackers have been informed and are working with authorities to repatriate their bodies. Qingwei Qiu’s father described her as an incredible brave girl pursuing her dreams of world travel; Qingwei came to Australia seeking adventure.
4. The backpackers’ bodies have been recovered
Police divers have recovered two Chinese backpackers reportedly driving from Brisbane to Mundubbera where they planned on fruit picking when their car became submerged by floodwaters in Queensland, reports indicate. Their family have been informed while police work alongside Chinese consulate in Brisbane.
Police, State Emergency Service and helicopters began searching their silver Subaru Forester on Thursday morning, recovering it subsequently on Friday after formal identification was confirmed by relatives.
These young backpacker deaths hark back to Ivan Milat’s murder of seven hitchhikers in Australia’s New South Wales state during the early 90s. His victims, all young women, were executed via back stab wounds before being dumped in a remote part of Belanglo State Forest and covered with sticks and ferns for burial.