Incredible moment young medical student Hadi Nazari who went missing in Kosciuszko National Park 13 days ago is finally found ALIVE
Helicopter footage shows the moment young hiker who has been missing in Kosciuszko National Park for nearly two weeks was miraculously found alive.
Hadi Nazari, 23, separated from friends to take photos along the Hannels Spur Trail between Khancoban and Thredbo in the NSW Snowy Mountains, around 2.30pm on Boxing Day and hadn’t been seen since.
The Melbourne neurosurgeon student was found alive and in good health on Wednesday afternoon after he spotted a group of passing hikers.
Aerial footage shared by the NSW Rural Fire Service captured the incredible moment authorities located Mr Nazari, sitting with the hikers who found him.
Footage has also emerged of the found hiker speaking with police while being checked by paramedics and hugging the mates he became separated from 13 days earlier.
Mr Nazari spoke to his relieved family shortly after he was located by authorities.
‘We talked to him… He is okay… He is fine,’ they told Nine News.
‘We are very happy. It is the happiest day of our lives.’
A relieved Hadi Nazari is seen speaking with friends shortly after he was found alive and well
The Melbourne student 23, has been found alive and well 13 days after he disappeared in NSW ‘s Kosciuszko National Park on Boxing Day
Riverina Police Superintendent Andrew Spliet has since confirmed that Mr Nazari is in ‘good health’ and ‘very happy to be found and safe’.
As Mr Nazari was winched to safety and assessed by paramedics, authorities revealed incredible details of his survival.
The hiker sought shelter in a hut while surviving on water and just two muesli bars.
‘One of my police at the scene had spoken to him and he, he relayed that he found a hut up there in the mountains and there were two muesli bars up there,’ Superintendent Spliet said.
‘That’s pretty much all that he’s had to consume over the last two weeks.
‘Further details about where he’s been and how he’s actually looked after himself are still yet to be determined.
‘Police will speak with him, hopefully tomorrow, just to debrief on his experience in the bush and what happened.’
Mr Nazari, was found by hikers, who were not part of the search party, at 3:15pm around 20km from the main police command post in Geehi.
The 23-year-old identified himself as a missing hiker and told the group he was ‘thirsty’, prompting the hikers to call emergency services.
‘He was 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,’ Supt Spliet said.
‘…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 he’s been reunited with his family, who are very happy to have him back and very happy with the efforts from police and the other organisations who assisted in this operation.’
Mr Nazari (pictured sitting with the hikers) called out to a group of passing hikers around 20km from the main police command post in Geehi
NSW Police Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit and Riverina Police District officers, the SES, National Parks and Wildlife Service assisted in the search
Aerial footage showed rescue teams making their way to the hiker after he was found safe and well
Supt Spliet added Mr Nazari’s previous hiking experience and overall ‘fit’ health likely helped him survive the ordeal.
‘We really just want to find out what he’s actually done,’ he said.
‘Has he rested in the shade during the day, has he found walking tracks that he’s been able to get on?
‘…He’s done really well.’
Superintendent Spliet said it was ‘fantastic news’ for all agencies involved in the search.
‘It was something that the crew, the police, the other organisations that have been there, have put a lot of time, a lot of lot of effort into trying to get a successful result into this.’
‘So, to hear that come over the radio that he’s been located is just fantastic news.’
NSW Police in an earlier statement said Mr Nazari was ‘winched from the location to the command post, where he is being assessed by paramedics’.
Police on Tuesday shared a discovery which fuelled hope Mr Nazari was alive.
Searches found a camera, camera case and a lighter found beside the remnants of a small campfire on Sunday.
Riverina Police District Inspector Josh Broadfoot thanked more than 300 people who joined the search for the hiker over the past fortnight.
‘This is an incredible outcome, after 13 long days he has been located,’ he 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.’
NSW Police Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit and Riverina Police District officers, the SES, National Parks and Wildlife Service, NSW Ambulance, RFS, VRA Rescue NSW, PolAir and Westpac Lifesaver all assisted in the search.
