00:00Sadly this morning at around 11.30am, searchers located the body of 18-year-old Lily Cooper,
00:06the bushwalker who had been missing for eight days.
00:10Our thoughts, our prayers and our deepest sympathies are with her family.
00:15As a parent, I can't conceive the unimaginable grief they are going through at the moment.
00:20I would like to take this opportunity though to thank the many, many searchers that have
00:24been involved in looking for Lily.
00:27Our focus had been clear, to find Lily and bring her safely back to her family.
00:33Sadly that has not been the case.
00:35We had up to a thousand searchers or just shy of a thousand searchers looking for Lily.
00:41Volunteers from the SES and a range of other agencies, the Australian Defence Force, New
00:46South Wales Police and a range of emergency services.
00:50I thank them for their time, their commitment and their bravery in every effort to find Lily.
00:55And once again, our thoughts and sympathies are with Lily's family.
01:01Sadly this morning there was a miscommunication when Lily's body was recovered.
01:07That miscommunication, I inadvertently, or sorry, I unashamedly apologise for any additional
01:14trauma that may have caused Lily's family, but certainly for the embarrassment and confusion
01:19that caused.
01:21The miscommunication obviously was born out of elation that Lily had been found and her
01:26condition at that time was such that searchers were relieved and certainly those at the command
01:32post related.
01:33Tragically that miscommunication then led to a deflation and obviously we know now an impact
01:40on her family.
01:40Once again I unreservedly apologise for that miscommunication.
01:46The miscommunication obviously went through policing commands and up to government and
01:50has been reported widely.
01:52It was something that was inadvertent but as I said was born out of looking to find Lily and
01:58bring her back to her family.
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