Hiker Missing for 13 Days Found Alive After Living off Foraged Berries and Granola Bars: ‘Happiest Day of Our Lives’

A hiker who went missing in Australia’s remote Kosciuszko National Park on Dec. 26 has been found alive after surviving on a diet of foraged berries and some granola bars he found in a hut.

On Wednesday, Jan. 8, the New South Wales Police Force revealed that 23-year-old Hadi Nazari had been located by hikers near the Blue Lake area of the park, which lies around 130 miles southwest of Canberra.

“He’s in good health, [and doesn’t] appear to have any significant injuries,” police district commander, Superintendent Andrew Spliet, said, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. “He’ll be conveyed to a hospital in the area to be checked out.”

“He’s been reunited with his family, who are very, very happy to obviously have him back,” Spliet added.

Nazari had last been seen by his two friends while “descending the Hannels Spur Trail, Geehi, between Khancoban and Thredbo” in the National Park around 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 26, according to the authorities.

“The three men were expected to meet up at the Geehi campground; however, when he failed to arrive, the two friends, aged 23 and 24, began to search for him,” the police wrote in a release.

“Officers attached to the Riverina Police District were alerted about 8.45 p.m., and commenced patrols by vehicle and on foot, assisted by the SES,” they added about the search, which began on Dec. 27.

Nazari’s “rubbish and hiking poles” were later found near the Kosciuszko River that runs through the park on Dec. 31.

“On Sunday 5 December, a campfire, lighter, camera and camera bag were located near the Geehi River,” the release said. “Following a 13-day multi-agency search involving more than 300 people, about 3.15 p.m. today the 23-year-old man was located by hikers off the circuit walk near Blue Lake.”

According to CNN, Spliet told reporters that Nazari called out to the group of hikers, revealing to them that he had “been lost in the bush.”

A video shared on Facebook by the NSW Rural Fire Service showed Nazari with the hiking group as he waited for rescuers.

He was then taken to the command post before being assessed by paramedics.

“One of my police at the scene had spoken to him, [and] relayed that he found a hut up there in the mountains and two muesli bars up there that he’s eaten, and that’s pretty much all that he’s had to consume over the last two weeks,” Spliet added, reported the Sydney Morning Herald.

“He’s covered a fair bit of ground … in that type of terrain, [which] is very, very steep, thick bushland.”

Nazari’s family revealed to CNN affiliate 9 News that he called them to let them know he was alive.

“We are very happy … It is the happiest day of our lives,” they said.