Missing 17-year-old found alive after 6 days lost in Australian woodlands

Detailed summary

A police helicopter crew found William, who has Level 2 autism, lying asleep on a flat rock beside a creek and he was later reunited with his mother.

A 17-year-old who went missing on a camping trip was found alive Thursday after six days lost in eastern Australian woodlands.

The boy, who police identified only as William, was camping with a teenage friend when he disappeared last Friday east of Melbourne, Victoria Police said in a news release.

William was dropped off by his mother for the purposes of camping for the weekend when he walked a short distance to the drop-off location to retrieve further camping equipment, police said.

When William failed to return shortly after, his friend searched the area but found no trace of him, according to police.

“An extensive search of the area was conducted by Victoria Police uniform officers, specialist units and other agencies over the past six days,” police said.

A police helicopter crew found William lying asleep on a flat rock beside a creek, wearing shorts and boots and using towels as blankets.

William was later taken to a hospital for his health to be monitored, police said.

After becoming lost, William trekked for days up and down “some very steep terrain,” Acting Police Inspector Jason Benbow said.

He spent the last two days where he was found at the creek, trapped by the steepness of his surrounds two kilometres from the his camp site, Benbow said.

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