Hopes of finding him safe and sound dwindled as the days passed. Hadi Nazari, a 23-year-old Australian, has just been found alive after spending 13 days alone in the wild, Australian authorities announced on Wednesday. The young man, who went hiking on the Hannels Spur trail, in the Kosciuszko National Park (south-east of the country), with friends was last seen on December 26 around 2:30 p.m.
The three men were supposed to meet at the end of the descent, at the Geehi campsite, but Hadi Nazari never got there. The missing man's friends first looked for him on their own, before alerting the emergency services around 8:45 p.m. A search operation involving more than 300 people was launched to find the young man from Victoria on December 27.
“Late in the day on Tuesday December 31, 2024, trash and hiking poles, believed to belong to Hadi, were found near the Kosciuszko River, which remains the targeted area of the search,” details a press release from New South Wales Police Force (NSW). On January 5, a campfire, a lighter, a bag and a camera belonging to the young man were found near the Geehi River.
The hiker told police that he took refuge in a cabin in the mountains, and that he was able to survive by drinking water from streams and eating two cereal bars. “That's about all he's been able to eat in the last two weeks,” Riverina Police District Commander Andrew Spliet said.
Hadi Nazari was saved by a group of hikers, explains The Guardian. “He called hikers passing through the area. He told them he got lost in the bush and was thirsty,” added the district commander. The young man was taken to hospital for a complete examination.
Riverina Police District Inspector Josh Broadfoot wanted to thank emergency services and volunteers for their contribution over the past 15 days. “We never gave up hope of finding him, and we are delighted to be able to return him safely to his family,” he said. “It’s an incredible outcome.”
