By Calvin Palmer
A British backpacker feared dead after going missing in Australian bushland for almost two weeks has been found alive and well.
Jamie Neale, 19, of Muswell Hill, north London, left a youth hostel in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, on July 3 and planned to walk to the Ruined Castle rock formation in the Jamieson Valley.
He was spotted hours later on top of Ruined Castle where he told a married couple he intended to keep walking to Mt Solitary, a return trip of around 10 hours.
Neale’s father, Richard Cass, and an uncle flew from the UK to join a massive search involving over 60 police officers and rescue workers. The search was hampered by the wintry conditions and on Monday police said the chances of finding him alive were slim.
Neale was reportedly found walking out of bushland about nine miles from Katoomba yesterday morning.
“At around 11:30 a.m. two bushwalkers alerted emergency services to advice them they had come across a man who identified himself as Jamie Neale,” Katoomba police said in a statement.
“It was at Narrow Neck Fire track. Police rescue officers made their way to the location and confirmed the identity of the man. He has been taken to Katoomba hospital for treatment for dehydration and exposure.”
Neale’s father had been about to head back to London when police notified him that his son had been found. He was flown by police helicopter from Sydney to be reunited with his son.
[Based on reports by The Times and The Daily Telegraph.]
2 Comments
July 16, 2009 at 10:56 am
Palmer in happy story post shocker!
July 21, 2009 at 6:59 am
LOL!