A woman is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after going missing and then assaulted in Whitby.

On Wednesday, at 10:25 a.m., Durham Regional Police officers located a woman near a creek southeast of the intersection of Taunton Road East and Anderson Street.

Police said she had multiple serious injuries consistent with an assault.

The woman was brought to the Oshawa airport and then flown by air ambulance to a Toronto trauma centre for treatment.

Police have identified the victim as a 50-year-old woman from Whitby who had been reported missing late Tuesday night after going for a walk in the area.

Officers say they searched for her overnight. A helicopter and a K-9 team were brought in this morning to search the area and the woman was found later this morning.

An investigation is underway to determine the nature of the assault.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.