The 18-year-old Australian man, Alan, who had been reported missing two months ago, was recently discovered by hikers in a mountainous area in the northern suburbs of Sydney. During that time, his weight had dropped by nearly half, and he weighed just 38 kilograms when found.
According to reports, Alan was in extremely poor health when found, covered in leeches all over his body, covered in insect bites, and at risk of blindness. After being rescued, Alan was airlifted by helicopter to a nearby hospital for treatment and is not currently in life-threatening condition.
Alan had been missing since leaving home in November 2012, and police were unable to locate him despite extensive ground and air searches. Alan claimed he had been surviving by drinking stream water and likely caught fish or frogs for food. Recently, Australia has been hit by a heatwave, and the streams had nearly dried up. When rescued, Alan was severely dehydrated.
Local police said Alan may have had mental health issues, deliberately entered the mountains, and intentionally avoided hikers, which is why he was not found earlier.