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Two elderly German tourists have been found dead in a remote area of Australia's Northern Territory.

The couple, in their 70s, arrived in Australia earlier this month and rented a car in Alice Springs on Thursday.

A search was launched on Sunday after the vehicle was found empty 70km (43 miles) away at Trephina Gorge, where temperatures have soared above 40C.

The man's body was found on Monday and his wife's a day later. Police said they believed the couple had got lost.

"They have started wandering, trying to find their way out and they have found some groundwater - there was some groundwater available within the gorge - and [they] spent some time there," Police Sergeant Philip Emmett said.

"After that, for reasons unbeknown to me, they have parted company and one of them has moved to the west, and the other one has moved back towards the car park in a south-easterly direction."

NT Police said the couple's family in Germany had identified them from holiday photographs taken from their camera, which was found nearby.

Police said rescue teams had covered more than 50 sq km (19 sq miles) in the search of the missing tourists.

"Unfortunately in this circumstance, the outcome has been tragic for the two missing persons and their families," a police statement said.

Australian authorities have contacted the German consulate.