Volunteer Searcher Recounts Moment of Discovery in Tasmanian Wilderness
The volunteer who discovered human remains while searching for a missing Belgian backpacker in Tasmania has described the overwhelming shock of his grim find. Jarrod Boys located the remains on Wednesday during an independent search effort for Celine Cremer, who was last seen in the Philosopher Falls area near Cradle Mountain in Tasmania's northwest on June 17, 2023.
A Sudden and Overwhelming Discovery
Boys was participating in a large volunteer search operation led by filmmaker and YouTuber Rob Parsons when he made the discovery. He recounted that he "kind of froze" upon coming across what appeared to be human remains. "I went into shock, pretty much instantly. It is pretty difficult to describe, but very overwhelming," he told media. Despite the sudden nature of the find, Boys managed to document the scene thoroughly, taking numerous photographs for police as he did not have protective gloves or a secure bag available. He also saved the precise GPS coordinates of the location to assist authorities in returning to the site.
Police Investigation and Identification Process
The remains, which included a jawbone, have been confirmed as human. No clothing or personal items were found nearby, complicating the immediate identification process. Testing is expected to take several weeks before a coroner can make a definitive identification. However, Tasmania Police Inspector Andrew Hanson indicated there is "no doubt" about the proximity of the bones to where Cremer went missing, leading authorities to seriously consider they belong to the missing backpacker. "We'll conduct those dental comparisons with records that we are currently in the process of obtaining through Ariane (Cremer's mother) from Belgium," Inspector Hanson stated.
Background of the Missing Persons Case
Celine Cremer, a 31-year-old Belgian bushwalker, was last seen during a solo winter walk at Philosopher Falls. Police believe she left the track to take a direct route back to her car as daylight faded. Her vehicle was later discovered in the Philosopher Falls carpark, but she was not reported missing until nine days after her disappearance. This recent discovery follows previous volunteer-led search efforts that resulted in finding Cremer's phone in December 2025, located less than 100 metres from her last known GPS position.
Family Response and Ongoing Search Efforts
Following the discovery, Cremer's mother Ariane confirmed she had been contacted by police and expressed gratitude to all involved in the search for her daughter. In a joint statement with Cremer's sister Amelie, she said, "Whatever these answers are, we thank all the people who invested in supporting us and allowing us to try to find Celine." Police plan to return to the area where the remains were found on Friday to conduct a detailed search of a 400 to 500 metre section along the Arthur River, continuing their investigation into this tragic case.
