AUSTRALIA

Hiker found alive after 13 days lost in mountains

A 23-year-old man who became lost in the Australian wilderness while hiking was found alive by other hikers Wednesday after living for nearly two weeks on two granola bars he found in a hut and on water from rivers and creeks, authorities said.

Hadi Nazari was hiking in Kosciuszko National Park, about 240 miles southwest of Sydney, when he became lost Dec. 26, a holiday called Boxing Day in Australia, according to a news release from the New South Wales police.

Two of Nazari’s friends called police about 8:45 p.m. Dec. 26 after he failed to arrive at a campground where they had expected to meet up with him. They had last seen him about six hours earlier as he went off onto the Hannels Spur trail alone. About 400 people searched by air and on land for Nazari over the course of 13 days, police said.

Throughout the search, authorities remained hopeful that Nazari was alive. He is an experienced hiker and had camping supplies in his backpack. On New Year’s Eve, “rubbish and hiking poles” that apparently belonged to Nazari were found near the Kosciuszko River. On Sunday, his lighter, camera, camera bag and remnants of a campfire he had lit were discovered near the Geehi River.

The location has “incredibly dense bushland and challenging conditions on the ground,” acting Superintendent Jill Gibson of the Riverina Police District said in a statement last week, adding that in some parts of the wilderness being searched, rescuers “can’t see their feet” because of the dense vegetation.

About 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, a group of hikers near Blue Lake, which is about 6 miles from the campground, found Nazari, Cmdr. Superintendent Andrew Spliet of Riverina Police District said at a news conference. Nazari called out to the hikers as they passed by and told them he was lost and thirsty. The hikers called the emergency services.

Nazari had no major injuries and appeared to be in good health, police said. He was taken to a hospital. “We never gave up hope of finding him,” Inspector Josh Broadfoot of the Riverina Police District said. “We are elated we can return him safely to his family.”

— The New York Times