Lost in forest, teen survives 12 days
SYDNEY: A British teenager lost for 12 days while hiking in Australia's Blue Mountains was found alive and well yesterday, just hours before his father - who had all but given up hope of ever seeing him again - planned to fly back to England.
Two other hikers happened upon 19-year-old Jamie Neale yesterday morning in the mountains, 100 km west of Sydney, New South Wales state police said. Neale, an experienced hiker, was taken to a hospital in the mountain town of Katoomba for treatment of dehydration and exposure, but otherwise appeared fine, police said.
Neale's father, Richard Cass, who had traveled to Australia to help search for his son, was at the airport waiting to board his flight back to England yesterday when he got an urgent text message from police.
