German backpacker Caroline Wilga, 26, was rescued after surviving 11 nights lost in Western Australia’s outback.

After crashing her van and hitting her head, she wandered off in a confused state, eventually surviving by drinking from puddles and sheltering in a cave.

Found barefoot and exhausted over 30km from her van, she thanked those involved in her rescue and expressed deep gratitude for the community’s support, the BBC has reported.

Police called her survival a matter of “sheer luck.”

Written by B.C. Begley