A 17-year-old boy has been found alive after spending six days missing in the Victorian bush during his first camping trip with a friend.
William, whose surname has not been disclosed, was camping at Walhalla East in eastern Victoria on Friday afternoon when he walked towards another section of the site near Stoney Creek Road and T2 Track. He did not return.
The teenager, who has level two autism and requires substantial support, was wearing only shorts and work boots. He had left his mobile phone at the campsite.
When William failed to come back, his friend ran for help and eventually flagged down the driver of a white ute.
Police expressed serious concern for the Latrobe Valley teenager, warning that he may have become confused and lost in the difficult bush terrain.
Temperatures in Walhalla reportedly fell to between 3C and 4C during the six days William was missing, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
He was located alive on Thursday morning and photographed on a stretcher as emergency crews treated him at the scene.
Victoria Police said William was “in good spirits and, for the most part, in good health.”
The 17-year-old was found alive after spending six days missing in the Victorian bush
Victoria Police said William was “in good spirits and, for the most part, in good health”
William disappeared after walking away from the camping site near Stoney Creek Road and T2 Track
The teenager was flown by helicopter to a search base at Cowwarr, about 30km north of Traralgon in Gippsland, the Herald Sun reported.
His mother, Elizabeth Barkley, told reporters on Thursday that William appeared to be in excellent health.
“He’s doing fine, everything seems to be fine, he’s in perfect health,” she said.
“He just stayed in one spot and waited to be rescued and I’m just over the moon he’s alive.”
Ms Barkley jokingly said her son would not be allowed to leave the house again.
“He’s grounded for life,” she told the ABC.
“He’s not going anywhere ever again. I’m just over the moon.”
Images released after the rescue showed William sitting upright as he was transported by the Police Air Wing, apparently suffering only minor injuries. He was also pictured hugging loved ones after reaching the search base.
William was flown to a search base at Cowwarr, about 30km north of Traralgon in Gippsland
William’s mother, Elizabeth Barkley, said her son appeared to be in perfect health
William went missing while camping with a friend at Walhalla East in eastern Victoria
Police Air Wing officers were searching from the air near Cowwarr when they spotted a tackle box in bushland approximately 2km east of Stoney Creek.
After zooming in, they noticed William lying close by in a creek.
Flight officers were winched down to the area and recovered him before taking him to the command post, where he was reunited with his mother.
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More than 100 people were involved in the six-day operation, including officers from the Public Order Response Team, Dog Squad, Mounted Branch and Search and Rescue Squad, as well as State Emergency Service personnel.
Police said William had fallen down a steep riverbank two days before he was found and had remained there, sleeping and waiting for rescuers.
“He woke up to the sound of the helicopter [and] gave them a thumbs up,” Acting Inspector Jason Benbow said.
William was exhausted and unable to walk. He had cuts on his legs and severe sunburn across his upper body and face, police said.
“Other than that, he’s talking to us, he’s happy, he’s smiling, he’s giving us an account of what’s happening and he’s hugging his mother and having a doughnut and water,” Acting Inspector Benbow said.
William embraces relatives after arriving by helicopter at the search base
The Air Wing spotted a tackle box in bushland about 2km east of Stoney Creek during its aerial search
More than 100 people joined the six-day search for the missing teenager
William was reunited with his mother on Thursday morning after Ms Barkley happened to be at the Cowwarr police staging area.
She said she had never stopped believing her son would be found alive, despite knowing he had disappeared wearing only shorts and work boots.
“I knew in my heart he was still alive, I could feel it. I knew he wasn’t gone,” Ms Barkley said.
“The police helicopter found him. I’m just over the moon. I can’t thank everyone [enough]. It’s a miracle.”
“You see these stories on TV and you don’t think it can happen to you, but when you do and you find them alive, it’s just… I can’t describe the words. I’m so happy, I can’t speak properly.”
“I’ve been praying for this all week. To find him while I was out here, it was such a perfect… you couldn’t write the script any better.”
William was taken to Latrobe Regional Hospital with his mother for observation.
Victoria Police thanked the officers, emergency workers and specialist teams who took part in the search and rescue effort.