NT family found alive after four days

A family of five missing for four days after heavy rain flooded Australia's red
centre have been found alive and well in their hatchback car.

But two men, brothers aged 24 and 32, remain missing after family members reported
them being swept away in a river swollen by flood waters on Saturday.
A joint Northern Territory emergency services statement said a search helicopter
located the family on a dirt track in their yellow Mazda hatchback 19km east of
Neutral Junction, north of Alice Springs, on Sunday afternoon.
The couple, a baby boy aged three months, an older boy aged 10 and a girl aged six
had been travelling from Arlparra Store to Barrow Creek on Wednesday when they were
reported missing, the statement said.
Emergency services say the family became bogged down due to heavy flooding but
stayed with their car - a move NT Duty Superintendent Bruce Porter said made their
rescue much easier.
The search helicopter, carrying police and a community volunteer, flew them to Ali
Curung to be with family members.
Meanwhile, the ground search for the two men still missing is being hampered by poor
terrain conditions, emergency services say. An air search is also underway.
"It is believed the two entered a flooded river in Atheleye Station, 20km north of
Arlparra," the statement said.
"The incident was reported to police after another member of the family witnessed
them being swept down stream.
"It is a very difficult and demanding task due to the fact the there is considerable
flood waters and poor terrain conditions hampering our search efforts, however we
are doing everything that we possibly can to locate these persons.
Police say flooding across the region is subsiding but currents around waterways
remain strong.
Officers say they have also rescued people trying to swim in flooded areas.
Watch Commander Paula Dooley-McDonnell advised people to avoid swimming in the Todd
River.
"I know it is a novelty to have the Todd flowing, but I need to reiterate to the
public just how dangerous this sort of behaviour is," she said.
"Not only does the water flow faster than it appears, there is often debris just
under the water surface that could trap you in a matter of moments."