Concerns are growing for a solo camper who has been missing for 10 days in the vast and remote wilderness of central Australia.
Tyle Mali, 39, was last seen on Sunday, June 1 before he embarked on a trip into the far northern regions of South Australia.
CCTV footage captured him entering a white 2023 Toyota HiAce, which he had rented from Mile End in Adelaide’s inner west.
He was reportedly driving to Arkaroola, in the northern Flinders Ranges, around 630km, or an eight-hour drive, from Adelaide.
The rental van, with South Australian registration S129-CWL, was last spotted in the Arkaroola area just after 6am on Monday, June 2.
South Australia Police believe the vehicle was driven from Yunta to Arkaroola between May 30 and June 1.
They are appealing to anyone who may have seen the van between these two locations, particularly along the Barrier Highway, about 280km south of Arkaroola.
Authorities fear Mr Mali could be injured or stranded, with no confirmed sightings and no contact since early June.
CCTV showing 39-year-old Kyle Mali entering a 2023 Toyota HiAce rental before his trip
Kyle’s personal belongings were found at his Arkaroola accommodation, after he went missing
SA Police said there has been no sightings of Kyle after searching in the area for three days
Assistant Commissioner Ian Parrott said police held ‘serious concerns’ for Mr Mali’s safety.
He confirmed that some of the camper’s belongings had been found left behind at his accommodation in Arkaroola Village.
Despite three days of intensive searching in the region, there has been no sign of him.
The area is extremely remote, conditions are hot and dry, with limited mobile phone coverage, and the GPS tracking system on the hire van is out of range.
‘He may have been injured, or his vehicle may have been disabled,’ Parrott said.
‘Given the lack of connectivity in the area, he may not be able to contact authorities.’
Mr Mali is known to be an experienced camper.
In a separate incident in 2021, Queensland Police said that Kyle had been reported missing after failing to contact his family for over a month before he was found.
The area Kyle is missing in is very remote, with limited connection and GPS signal
An image of the white 2023 Toyota HiAce Kyle rented as a hire van
South Australian emergency services, along with PolAir crews, have been combing the vast and rugged terrain between Yunta and Arkaroola.
But so far, the search efforts have come up empty.
Anyone who has seen Kyle or the white Toyota HiAce van is urged to contact police immediately.
