A 17-year-old boy who vanished during a camping trip in the Australian wilderness has been found alive after six terrifying days, surviving on a single bag of potato chips and creek water before a police helicopter spotted him in rugged bushland.
The remarkable rescue unfolded Thursday, November 12, bringing an emotional end to a massive search that involved more than 100 emergency personnel and volunteers.
William Barkley disappeared on November 6 after his mother dropped him off for a weekend camping trip with a friend near Walhalla, in the Australian state of Victoria, approximately 115 miles east of Melbourne.
The teenager, who has autism and little camping experience, had walked away from the campsite to retrieve additional equipment when he apparently took a wrong turn and became lost in the dense wilderness.
He had left his cellphone, food supplies, and water behind, and was wearing only shorts and work boots.
When William failed to return, his friend searched the surrounding area before raising the alarm, triggering an extensive rescue operation involving police officers, search dogs, helicopters, and specialized wilderness rescue teams.
As the days passed, concerns grew over whether the teenager could survive the difficult terrain, chilly nights, and lack of supplies.
But William was determined to stay alive.
According to his mother, Elizabeth Barkley, he managed to survive by drinking water from a nearby creek and eating a family-sized bag of potato chips that lasted him approximately two days.
He also used towels to cover himself during the cold nights.
At some point during his ordeal, William fell down a steep embankment, suffering scratches and painful legs that made it difficult for him to continue walking.
Rather than attempting to navigate the dangerous terrain, he remained near a creek, hoping someone would eventually find him.
That decision may have helped save his life.
On Thursday morning, a Victoria Police helicopter crew searching the wilderness noticed a fishing tackle box lying among the trees roughly 1.2 miles from where William had disappeared.
When officers zoomed in for a closer look, they made an astonishing discovery.
William was lying on a flat rock beside the creek, alive.
The exhausted teenager woke to the sound of the helicopter hovering overhead, and his reaction was captured in heartwarming footage released by police.
Realizing that help had finally arrived, William looked toward the aircraft, gave a thumbs-up, and pumped his fists in excitement.
Rescue officers were lowered from the helicopter and brought him to safety before flying him back to the search command post.
Waiting for him was his mother, who had spent nearly a week fearing the worst.
Emotional footage captured the moment Elizabeth rushed to embrace her son, overcome with relief as the two were finally reunited.
“I’m just over the moon that he’s alive,” she told reporters, describing his survival as a miracle.
But the relieved mother also had a little warning for her adventurous teenager.
“He’s grounded for life,” she joked, adding that he would never be leaving her sight again.
Despite spending six days in the wilderness, William escaped with relatively minor injuries, including sunburn, scratches, and soreness in his legs.
Police said he was exhausted but smiling, talking with rescuers, and enjoying a much-needed doughnut and bottle of water following his rescue.
He was taken to a hospital for monitoring, but authorities said he was generally in good health and good spirits.
Victoria Police Acting Inspector Jason Benbow praised the rescue effort, noting that searches in such challenging terrain do not always end happily.
For Elizabeth, however, the only thing that mattered was having her son home.
After six days of fear, uncertainty, and desperate searching, a fishing tackle box spotted from the sky helped lead rescuers to a teenager who had somehow beaten the odds.
And while William may have survived one incredible wilderness adventure, his mother has made it clear that another camping trip won’t be happening anytime soon.
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