Photo: Oliver Strewe / The Image Bank / Getty Images
A 23-year-old medical student from Melbourne was found alive after surviving for two weeks in the Kosciuszko National Park in Australia's Snowy Mountains. Hadi Nazari went missing on December 26 when he separated from his hiking companions to take photos. He survived on two muesli bars, foraged berries, and creek water.
Nazari was rescued on Wednesday (January 8) after he approached a group of hikers, telling them he was lost and thirsty. He had traveled over six miles across steep and densely wooded terrain. A major land and air search involving more than 300 searchers had been underway since the day he went missing.
Police Inspector Josh Broadfoot said, "He seems well: Amazing. This is the fourteenth day we've been looking for him. For him to come out and be in such good spirits and in such great condition, it's incredible."
Ambulance Inspector Adam Mower noted that Nazari only needed treatment for dehydration.
Nazari, an experienced hiker equipped with a tent, was reunited with his friends before being flown to a hospital for a medical assessment. The national park, which surrounds Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest peak, provided mild weather conditions during the Southern Hemisphere summer, aiding his survival.