Missing hiker Hadi Nazari has been found two weeks after he went missing in the Kosciuszko National Park. Photo: NSW SES Josh Dart.
UPDATED: 8 January, 6:40 pm: Details continue to emerge about the rescue of 23-year-old bushwalker Hadi Nazari who was found two weeks after he went missing on Boxing Day in dense bushland in the remote Geehi area in the Kosciuszko National Park.
At around 3:15 pm, the young Melbourne medical student encountered a group of hikers along the circuit walk near Blue Lake.
Riverina District Police Superintendent Andrew Spliet described the scene.
“He called out to some hikers who were in the area. He told them that he’d been lost in the bush and was thirsty. Those people then contacted emergency services,” he said.
“PolAir air, who was in the area, attended and winched him out, back into the helicopter and took him back to the command post. At the command post, he was assessed by ambulance on the scene.
“He’s in good health, and hasn’t appeared to have any significant injuries.
“He’ll be conveyed to a hospital in the area to be checked out and make sure that he is fit and in good health.
“I can advise that he’s been reunited with his family, who are very, very happy to obviously have him back, and very happy with the effort. It’s very pleasing.”
Hadi Nazari was thirsty but in good spirits as he posed with the group of hikers who found him along the circuit walk near Blue Lake. Photo: Josh Dart/Facebook.
The discovery follows a 13-day multi-agency search involving more than 300 people who were deployed after Mr Nazari became separated from friends while descending the Hannels Spur Trail on the way to the Geehi campground.
Superintendent Spliet explained that he had been discovered around 10 km as the crow flies from the campground across mountainous terrain and dense bush.
“One of my officers who spoke to him relayed that he found a hut up there in the mountains, and there were two muesli bars up there and that he’s eaten those, and that’s pretty much all he’s had,” he said.
“From what I’ve been told from the officers at the scene, he’s in really good health, which is good, and we’re very happy with this very successful result.”
Superintendent Spliet was full of praise for the rescuers who had toiled for 13 days to find the missing hiker.
“Their commitment just to be out there in some of those conditions has just been outstanding. It’s a real credit to our partner organizations who work when we need that assistance; they come, and they give us that assistance, and their people were just outstanding,” he said.
NSW SES Southern Zone commander Ben Pickup said specialist units had worked their way through some of the “challenging terrain that they’ve seen in their time with the SES”.
“There’s definitely a lot of exhaustion. It’s a long time to spend in the field searching. Some of those volunteers are up there for eight or nine days straight,” he said.
“You get really passionately involved in finding them and returning them to their loved ones, so there’s a lot of pride in all the agencies and our volunteers that have been out there today and just a huge sigh of relief to have such a positive outcome.”
A 13-day search operation through dense bushland has ended in joy after Hadi Nazari was found alive. Photo: NSW Police.
8 January 4:30 pm: 23-year-old bushwalker Hadi Nazari has been found two weeks after he went missing in dense bushland in the remote Geehi area in the Kosciuszko National Park.
Following a 13-day multi-agency search involving more than 300 people, at about 3:15 pm today he was located by hikers off the circuit walk near Blue Lake.
The Melbourne medical student was winched from the location to the command post, where he is being assessed by paramedics and has called family members to tell them that he is alive and well.
Riverina Police District Inspector Josh Broadfoot thanked emergency services for their contributions over the past fortnight.
“This is an incredible outcome; after 13 long days, he has been located,” Inspector Broadfoot said.
“We want to thank our emergency services partner agencies, volunteers and members of the public for their assistance.
“We never gave up hope of finding him, and we are elated we can return him safely to his family,”
The 23-year-old student was last seen by two friends on Boxing Day after he separated from the group to take photos and failed to arrive at the agreed meeting place.
NSW Police established a command post on 27 December and teams from the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) and State Emergency Service (SES) have joined NSW and Victorian police to scour the terrain.
More than 300 people have been involved in the operation including air crews, police and volunteers on horseback and dog-handlers.
Police confirmed that some rescue teams had suffered minor injuries while navigating the difficult terrain and there had been numerous snake sightings.
Searchers were buoyed by the discovery of several items on New Year’s Day and more of the missing hiker’s belongings were found beside a small campfire on Sunday (5 January).
Experts advised that the chance of finding Mr Nazari alive was good given his previous experience, equipment and access to water.
Original Article published by Chris Roe on Region Riverina.
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