Police investigating the disappearance of Belgian tourist Celine Cremer in Tasmania's Tarkine rainforest have uncovered human remains, teeth, and her car key in the Arthur River, supporting a new theory that she may have drowned. The 31-year-old vanished in June 2023 while walking a short trail near Philosopher Falls.
On 28 January, a bushwalker found bones near the trail, prompting police to search the riverbed. Subsequent discoveries included a bra, thermal top, more bones, and a polar fleece jacket. This week, a 350-metre section of the river yielded additional bones, two teeth, and Cremer's Honda key.
Police believe Cremer left the marked track to take a shortcut back to her car as night fell, dropping her phone and becoming disoriented in dense terrain. Subzero temperatures and snowfall in the days after her disappearance were deemed unsurvivable by medical experts.
Private investigator Ken Gamble, who led volunteer searches, stated: 'We know that she got lost. We know that she lost her phone. We know that she's possibly drowned in the Arthur River.' Forensic testing is underway to confirm the remains are Cremer's.
The state coroner will investigate the disappearance, while Cremer's sister Amélie described the findings as an encouraging step towards answers. The discovery ends more than two years of uncertainty for the family.
