Tourist
hiker survives on watercress
thewest.com.au
A Scottish tourist has survived two nights in Victoria's
rugged Otway Ranges using fern fronds to keep warm and eating
watercress from a river.
The 19-year-old sparked a massive search when he failed to
return from a hike near Sabine Falls, north of Apollo Bay on
the Great Ocean Road, on Tuesday.
He was found by police and Parks Victoria searchers on a
track south-west of the falls at 9.15am (AEST) on
Thursday.
Senior Sergeant Peter Nichols, of Colac Police, said the
teenager made a bed of fern fronds and fed off watercress in a
nearby river to survive.
"For someone with very limited bushcraft, not aware of the
environment ... he's done fantastic," Senior Sergeant Nichols
told AAP.
The hiker was taken to Apollo Bay hospital for a check-up
but was in a remarkable condition, he said.
The tourist - who has been in Australia for several months
- was reported missing by friends after he failed to return
from a hike on Tuesday afternoon.
"He went off the marked track and became disoriented and
from that just couldn't find his way out," Sen Sgt Nichols
said.
The police air wing joined the search on Wednesday after
rescuers on foot found footprints in a creekbed.
About 60 searchers, including police, State Emergency
Service volunteers and Parks Victoria members, began combing
the area after daybreak on Thursday.
By the time they found the hiker he had been exposed to the
elements for almost 48 hours.
Senior Sergeant Nichols said the weather was just starting
to close in when he was found.
"The weather hasn't been too bad the last few days ... it
was good timing," he said.
published Apr 05, 2007
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