Man went missing for a week in freezing temperatures—one minor observation gave him crucial idea to stay alive
Any hack or survival technique might help a person go on during an extreme situation. A man who had gone missing around the Australian outback for a week and survived the ordeal is a remarkable example. The 26-year-old man, Gach Top, was last seen leaving his house in Alice Springs on July 28 and spoke with his family a couple of hours later. But surprisingly, he didn't turn up at work that evening, which raised an alarm. His car was found a few miles away from his residence, according to a statement from the Northern Territory Police Force.
The car, a red Mazda CX5 with NT registration CF05BH, was located the next morning after Gach went missing. But the police still didn't know where the man was. The NT Police Search and Rescue Section started looking for the man around the area where his car was found. Officers, police dogs, volunteers, Wildlife Rangers and even a Jet Ranger helicopter was deployed to look for the man, but to no avail. Around 50 personnel from various departments joined in the search by the third day, as the authorities grew increasingly concerned about the man's well-being. They had started searching through all terrains and covered quite a bit of rough terrain area as well during their search, per an update.
"Search efforts have been extensive, with significant contributions from local resources. These efforts will continue into day 3. However, forecasted sub-zero overnight temperatures over the coming days are increasing our concerns for Gach’s welfare," Search Coordinator Acting Sergeant Chris Grotherr pointed out. Eventually, after looking for Gach for over five days, the police suspended the search on August 2 and handed the case over to the Northern Territory Police Southern Crime Division, per PEOPLE. Nonetheless, they repeatedly asked the public for any updates or information they had about the man from any source. Members of the South Sudanese community, led by the African Association of Central Australia, kept searching for the man after the police called it off, per The Age.
Around 30 people looked for the man in a 10 km area and hoped that they could save him. "The community search was a result of the police decision to suspend the search after five days…the community still had hope that Gach would be found alive," Chuol Yat, association chair, explained. The community members eventually found Gach and informed his family about the new development. "He was wrapped in a blanket and was exhausted. The family, including the community, is overjoyed because many of us felt that this young man was not dead. He was found alive and everybody was so happy," Yat added.
"He told responders he had survived by drinking water from discarded bottles found along the roadside," St John Ambulance NT services director Andrew Thomas recounted. Gach was treated for dehydration before the first responders took him to the Alice Springs Hospital. "We commend the local community members whose vigilance helped bring this situation to a safe outcome. Their actions likely made all the difference," Thomas added. The man had accidentally left his phone in his car when he got out while driving through an isolated area. His family was grateful that he was safe and well.
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