Magician Daniel Hidden, 26, disappeared after leaving his Queensland home at 3am on June 14. The Australian Defence Force has been deployed in a major wilderness search operation to find him
A magician has mysteriously disappeared in a remote wilderness, prompting the armed forces to join the search. Daniel Hidden, 26, was last seen driving away from his home in Queensland, Australia at 3am.
He has been missing since June 14. He was reportedly heading towards the Springbrook area in his silver Hyundai, towing a caravan, according to friends – but he hasn’t been spotted for over a week.
Authorities have initiated a major search operation for Daniel, who is said to have switched off his phone at 6am on June 14. The 26-year-old is described as having long black hair, a black beard and brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a maroon-coloured top and black cargo trousers.
A search involving police, firefighters and volunteers has been organised, with members scouring the expansive Springbrook area. Two days into the search, his silver Hyundai Santa Fe and Galaxy caravan were located by police near Currumbin Creek Rd., reports the Mirror.
The vehicles were found in a remote bushland several miles south of his home in Gold Coast. Fire crews and drones have been combing the vast Currumbin valley area, a secluded section of Springbrook National Park.
Emergency services have had to request backup from the Australian Defence Force (ADF), stated Acting Inspector Brett Jackson. “Because of the terrain and the large area that needs to be traversed, we have been utilising aerial assets in Queensland including police, Polair and also drones,” he elaborated.
Daniel’s vanishing is deemed highly unusual for his character, according to police statements. In an eerie development, his website displays the ominous declaration: “Transformation requires disappearance.”
It remains unknown when this statement materialised on his site and authorities are not linking it to his vanishing. The search has since expanded into dense rainforest terrain, with authorities treating it as a critical rescue mission.
Hidden is described as an experienced hiker with strong ties to the area, and is said to have loved the region so much he had its coordinates tattooed on his fingers. He’s a prominent figure on the south-east Queensland entertainment circuit and has built a growing online audience, including nearly 7,000 followers on his Daniel Hidden Instagram account.
He markets himself as more than a traditional magician, blending mentalism, interactive mind-reading, illusions and sleight of hand under his “Deception Artist” persona.
His recent live production, titled Seeing is beLIEving, centres on how easily the human mind can be tricked. Promotional material describes his performance style as laid-back and charismatic, designed to “weaponise” audience focus and attention as part of the act.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.