A 17-year-old boy identified by police only as William was found alive in Victoria’s bushland on Thursday, six days after he went missing near Walhalla. The search ended with his recovery by police helicopter and reunion with his family, according to the Associated Press and BBC News.

How the search ended

William had been camping with a friend in the Gippsland region, about 185 kilometers east of Melbourne. Police said he left the campsite to collect equipment from a nearby drop-off point and did not return. His family reported him missing, prompting a search that grew to include more than 100 emergency workers and volunteers, the AP reported.

A police helicopter crew located him near a creek in steep, remote terrain on Thursday morning. Authorities said he was in good spirits and was taken to hospital for monitoring. The BBC reported he was reunited with his family after being brought out of the bushland.

A large search in difficult terrain

The recovery followed nearly a week of searching around Walhalla, a former gold-mining town in Victoria’s Gippsland area. Police used specialist teams and aircraft as crews covered dense bush and steep ground. The AP reported William spent the final two days near the creek where he was found.

Authorities and the family have identified him by his first name only. The AP said it withheld his mother’s surname to protect the teenager’s privacy. The reports do not provide a detailed account of how he managed during the six days, so the available facts remain limited to the search, his discovery and his condition after recovery.

Read more international updates in The Globuzz’s World coverage.

Sources

Associated Press: A missing teen is found alive after six days in the Australian woodlands; BBC News: Australian teen missing in bush for six days rescued alive.