Search continues for woman missing for more than two weeks in ‘wild’ Outback

The search will resume for a woman missing for more than two weeks in the wild south of Alice Springs after the miraculous rescue of her two companions.

Alice Springs woman Claire Hockridge, 46, had still not been found on Tuesday night after the group became stranded when their ute became bogged in sand in a river bed on November 19.

Her friend Phu Tran, 40, was found by a pastoralist on Tuesday about 12km from the ute.

Ted Fogarty found tracks and followed footprints before he saw Mr Tran come out of a large cement pipe he had slept in.

Tamra McBeath-Riley, 52, of Alice Springs, was rescued on late Sunday afternoon after a station worker noticed tyre tracks and alerted police.

Mr Tran (pictured) and Mrs Hockridge went in a westerly direction after their car got stuck while Miss McBeath-Riley headed in a northerly direction where she found a waterhole 

Police Superintendent Pauline Vicary said the focus now was on finding Ms Hockbridge.

“We are really hoping Claire is also okay and that this turns out to be a really positive outcome for everybody, particularly their families because this has been a really awful time for them.”

The discovery of Mr Tran had narrowed the rugged area being looking at by searchers in helicopters, Ms Vicary said.

Mr Tran had said he had left Ms Hockridge behind in a good condition two days ago.

The group’s ordeal began on November 23 when they set out in a rented utility vehicle for an afternoon drive south of Alice Springs.

But events took a dire turn when the vehicle bogged down in the bed of Finke River, leaving the group stranded. 

The group spent three days drinking through a supply of water, cans of iced vodka, packs of biscuits and beef noodles. 

Phu Tran, 40, was found on Tuesday morning by a pastoralist to the south of Alice Springs. He had been with friends Tamra McBeath-Riley, 52, and Claire Hockridge, 46, when their car got stuck in a riverbed near Alice Springs on November 23