SUNDAY, 2PM:
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It’s every parents’ worst nightmare – children who have gone missing.
On Saturday, a family headed out to Ophir Reserve – approximately 25 kilometres out of Orange - to camp for the weekend.
The family spent most of the day exploring bush tracks around the area, which is well known for abandoned mine shifts and rugged terrain.
The girls, Marley Aplin and her friend Rhianna, had been climbing hills around the camping area and were last seen on the opposite side of a fast-flowing creek.
At 4pm on Saturday, most of the family returned to the campsite.
The two seven-year-old girls were nowhere to be seen.
But happily the girls were found around 11.30am on Sunday morning after a significant search effort.
Police and volunteers from the Rural Fire Service and State Emergency Service converged on the area near Summer Hill and Lewis Ponds creek, commencing the search at 6pm.
Grave fears were held for the girls with the temperature in Orange dropping to one degree Celsius on Saurday night.
A lack of mobile reception in the area hampered search efforts, with two command posts established to coordinate the search parties.
Police Rescue, the dog squad, helicopter and an SES flood-rescue boat were deployed to help with the search at first light on Sunday.
Canbolas Local Area Command acting Superintendent Peter Atkins praised volunteers and his officers for the work to locate the two missing girls.
Superintendent Atkins said many people had given up time on Sunday to assist.
“It couldn’t have been done without the RFS and SES and members of the public who attended and the local community of Ophir,” Superintendent Atkins said.
He said the girls were found two kilometres upstream from the campsite by volunteers and police officers.
Superintendent Atkins said the girls were winched to safety via helicopter as it was the quickest and safest way to rescue them.
The two girls were taken to Orange Health Service for precautionary testing in a stable condition, with only a few scratches.
“We’re very happy with the outcome, as are the family, it was a job well done. There were no injuries.”
SUNDAY, 12PM:
FOLLOWING an extensive search two children – who were reported missing on Saturday afternoon from a campsite near Orange – have been located safe and well.
About 11.30am on Sunday both girls were located safe and well.
The girls were winched to safety by POLAIR.
They will be conveyed to Orange Hospital for medical checks.
Police have thanked everyone involved in the operation for their assistance.
SUNDAY, 11AM:
THE search for the missing girls is continuing with volunteers joining the SES, RFS and police.
Police Rescue are co-ordinating the search with the dog squad and POLAIR supporting the efforts.
Due to the lack of mobile reception around the search area, police have setup two command posts to co-ordinate search efforts on foot and by POLAIR.
A cordon has been established at the Ophir Reserves and people are being warned to avoid getting in the way of search efforts.
SUNDAY, 8AM:
A SEARCH will continue on Sunday morning for two children who have been missing since Saturday afternoon from a campsite near Orange.
On Saturday a family established their campsite at Ophir Reserve, Ophir about 25 kilometres north of Orange.
The family spent the day exploring the bush tracks that surrounded their campsite and shortly before 4pm all returned, except the two 7-year-old girls.
The girls had been climbing the nearby hills and about 4pm they were seen on the opposite bank of a fast flowing creek.
When the girls failed to return the family commenced a search for them while an adult travelled to a location where she was able to obtain mobile phone coverage and contacted police.
About 6pm officers from Canobolas Local Area Command arrived and commenced their search of the area without success.
Assistance was also obtained from the SES and Rural Fire Service which allowed a further search of the area but the girls were not located.
Emergency services and family remained in the area overnight.
The search continued on Sunday morning also utilising an SES flood-boat to search the river and POLAIR.