Missing Man Found Alive After Surviving Week in Freezing Temperatures
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A 26-year-old man was found alive on Monday after surviving a week in the remote Australian outback and enduring sub-freezing temperatures.
Gach Top was located safe in the area of Jay Creek, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Alice Springs, the Northern Territory Police Force said in a media release.
Why It Matters
Top's discovery came two days after police had suspended a massive five-day search across rugged terrain using search parties, drones and aerial support to scour an area of 500 square kilometers.
He was spotted by a resident of Jay Creek outstation, who then contacted his family, Australian outlet ABC News reported. "She was like, 'I found your brother'... it's a miracle," Top's sister, Nyaluak Top, told the outlet.
What To Know
Top was reported missing after he failed to attend a scheduled night shift, only hours after his last contact with his family on July 28. His vehicle, a red Mazda, was found the following morning some 7 kilometers west of Alice Springs on Larapinta Drive.
The Northern Territory Police Force launched an extensive search, but on Thursday, the force's Acting Sergeant Chris Grotherr said forecast sub-zero overnight temperatures were increasing concerns for the missing man's welfare. Temperatures fell to minus 0.5 degrees Celsius (31 degrees Fahrenheit), Australian outlet 9News reported.
On Saturday, the force said it was suspending the search and handing the case to the Northern Territory Police Southern Crime Division for further investigation.
"I want to thank all the search teams who have done an excellent job covering a huge area over the past 5 days but, unfortunately, it hasn't produced the result we hoped for," said Grotherr in a statement.
Authorities searching for Gach Top in rugged terrain west of Alice Springs, in an undated police photograph.
Authorities searching for Gach Top in rugged terrain west of Alice Springs, in an undated police photograph.
Northern Territory Police Force - Alice Springs and Southern
With the official search suspended, Top's family and a team of about 25 volunteers continued to search for him, ABC News reported.
"We came [to Jay Creek outstation} and I left my number with one of the ladies," Nyaluak Top told the outlet. "We went to Hermannsburg to search for him, and when we were going back, she called me as soon as we got service."
Top had managed to survive by drinking water from discarded bottles found along the roadside, St John NT Ambulance Services director Andrew Thomas told 9News.
What People Are Saying
Nyawuor Kong, Gach Top's stepmother, told ABC News: "Thank you to the wider community, to the indigenous community, for standing with us, and for everybody who has been praying for our family, for Gach to be found alive."
Northern Territory Police Force said in a media release: "Police would like to thank members of the public for their assistance."
St John NT Ambulance Services director Andrew Thomas told 9News: "We commend the local community members whose vigilance helped bring this situation to a safe outcome. Their actions likely made all the difference."
What Happens Next
The Northern Territory Police Force said Top had been taken to a hospital for assessment.
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