Man found 9 days after being reported missing reveals baffling strategies he used to stay alive in wilderness
It is not easy to survive in the wilderness. It takes a lot of strategy and prudent thinking to navigate unexpected circumstances. A man named Andrew Barber was reported missing on July 31, 2025, after his truck broke down near McLeese Lake, some 365 miles north of Vancouver, BBC News reported. It took the search team nine days, after which they found the man due to the signs he had intelligently used to alert the search team. What is even more impressive is the shocking tactics he used to survive during the nine days. The man was reported missing on July 31 and was last seen on July 28.
The Quesnel Search And Rescue, together with the P.E.P. Air (Provincial Emergency Program Air), a volunteer aviation society, began an intensive search for the man, but in vain, per CBC News. Quesnel SAR president and manager Bob Zimmerman noted that they were given a vague idea of where he was last seen, but during the first few days of the search, they found no luck. "We had to cover a large area to try and sweep around that centre spot. Which is why we used P.E.P. Air, because to drive on the ground and check roads with ATVs, UTVs, or vehicles, there are hundreds of kilometres of drivable trails in that area,” he explained.
The teams even used electronic devices to locate cell phones in the area, but were unable to find traces of the man. Nine days went by, and the teams actively kept their search on, hoping to find the 39-year-old. In the meantime, Barber was alone, stranded unexpectedly, and had to survive until he was found. With no food or water, he took on an intelligent approach and began to look around to make it through. He knew he needed water, if not foo,d to survive over the period. He relied on the pond around the area to meet his drinking needs. Apart from that, he also built a shelter for himself to stay protected.
"He had built a little mud shelter with moss and mud up against the big rock," Zimmerman said. Additionally, Zimmerman recalled how he ingeniously used grass as insulation inside his clothing. Barber couldn’t stop and while surviving, also had to find ways to help locate him. He started preparing signs — the word “HELP” etched on a huge rock and “SOS” drawn on the mud. And it was these signs that helped in his rescue. The search teams finally deployed helicopters and spotted the man’s truck. "The observer spotted a glint of sunshine off the windshield from the truck," Zimmerman said.
They quickly understood that this might be the missing man’s location and started a solid search in the area. A few miles away from the truck, they were able to spot the huge signs for help and rush over to Barber. "He was having a hard time standing. I don't know that he would have made it another 24 hours without us recovering him," Zimmerman said. The Quesnel Search & Rescue shared a post on Facebook stating, “After over a week in the wilderness, our subject has been located alive during today's search from the air.” It also revealed a picture of the sign made by the man. Barber was later transported to the ambulance. "He's a lucky man," Zimmerman remarked.
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