A Melbourne university student, Hadi Nazari, survived 14 days in Australia’s remote snowy mountains with little more than creek water, foraged berries, and two muesli bars.
Nazari, a 23-year-old medical student, separated from his hiking companions on December 26 while exploring the Hannels Spur trail in Kosciuszko National Park, New South Wales. He was taking photos when he lost his way and quickly became disoriented, police said.
A major search operation involving more than 300 rescuers was launched immediately after Nazari was reported missing. Despite the rugged terrain and challenges posed by the densely wooded landscape, rescuers maintained hope of finding him alive, as he was an experienced hiker carrying basic camping equipment.
On Wednesday afternoon, two weeks after his disappearance, Nazari approached a group of hikers, exhausted and thirsty, but alive. He had trekked over 10 kilometers (6 miles) across steep and challenging terrain to reach them.
‘Walking from morning until night’
Nazari told police he had been “walking from morning until night,” Broadfoot said.
“There are some creeks up there and he said he’s been finding water where he could and foraging for food where he could, in terms of berries. At one point, he said he found a couple of muesli bars in a hut, but other than that — 14 days and that’s very little food,” Broadfoot said, as reported by AP.
Nazari’s survival story also included a stroke of luck when he discovered two muesli bars in a hikers’ hut. “That’s pretty much all he had for food over the last two weeks,” said Police Superintendent Andrew Spliet.
Reunited and airlifted
Nazari was reunited with his hiking companions on Wednesday evening before being airlifted to a hospital for medical assessment. Hospital officials confirmed that dehydration was the only medical concern.
The Hannels Spur track, a punishing route leading to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia’s tallest peak at 2,228 meters (7,310 feet), is known for its steep and rugged conditions.
