A 17-year-old boy has been dramatically rescued alive after vanishing for six agonising days in the dense, freezing Australian bush, surviving on little more than creek water, a bag of chips and pure grit while police feared the worst.
William, whose surname has not been released, disappeared last Friday while on a camping trip with a friend roughly 180 kilometres east of Melbourne in Victoria’s rugged Gippsland region near Walhalla East. The teenager, who lives with autism and had never been camping before, wandered off to retrieve equipment, took a wrong turn, and became hopelessly lost without his phone, food or proper clothing – wearing only shorts and work boots as temperatures plunged overnight.
Authorities launched a massive, desperate search involving police dogs, divers, helicopters and more than 100 personnel as nights turned bitterly cold. Fears mounted that the vulnerable teen might not survive the harsh conditions. Yet against all odds, William was found on Thursday morning by a police Air Wing helicopter crew after they spotted his fishing tackle box in thick bushland about two kilometres from his campsite.
He was lying asleep on a flat rock beside a creek, shirtless, badly sunburnt and wrapped in towels and a pillow he had used as makeshift blankets. Exhausted but remarkably composed, he woke to the sound of the helicopter, gave a thumbs-up and was winched to safety. Rescuers gave him a doughnut and a bottle of water before reuniting him with his overjoyed family and taking him to hospital for checks.
His mother, Elizabeth Barkley, told reporters she was “over the moon” and described her son as being in “perfect health” with only a few scratches. In a moment of pure relief mixed with motherly humour, she joked: “He’s never leaving the house again. He’s grounded for life.” Police said the emotional officers were ecstatic at the rare positive outcome, noting that such survivals “don’t happen all the time.”
William later revealed he had fallen down a steep embankment two days earlier and wisely stayed put near the water source, drinking from the creek and rationing a family-sized bag of chicken potato chips while waiting for rescue. Searchers described him as being in good spirits, smiling and able to give a clear account of his ordeal despite the sunburn, exhaustion and minor cuts.
The story has captivated Australia, with the dramatic helicopter footage of the moment he was spotted and the tearful reunion spreading rapidly. For six days, William battled isolation, freezing nights and the unknown in some of Victoria’s most unforgiving terrain – and emerged a survivor. His family says he is now recovering well and already looking forward to his favourite McDonald’s meal.
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