A 20-year-old hiker who went missing in a remote Canadian wilderness has been found alive after surviving an astonishing 50 days on his own, authorities said.
Sam Benastick is reported He went missing on Oct. 19 after failing to return from a 10-day camping trip in British Columbia's Redfern-Cary Provincial Park, according to CBC News.
He was last seen by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on Tuesday morning when two men who were headed to the Redfern Lake trail for work saw another man walking towards them. was discovered in said In a press release.
Benastic was alive but weak, relying on two walking sticks to support himself, and had sliced his sleeping bag “wrapped around his legs to keep warm,” CBC reported.
Including the initial 10-day trip, the young camper spent a total of 50 days in sub-zero temperatures at the remote mountain park.
“Sam told police he spent several days in his car and then walked to the mountain side of the creek where he camped for 10 to 15 days,” RCMP officials said. “Then they moved down the valley and built camps and shelters on the dry riverbed.”
The weather reached -4 degrees Fahrenheit while Benastic was missing, said Adam Hawkins, chief search officer for Prince George Search and Rescue. said BBC News, “These are really very difficult circumstances to survive for anyone, especially [with] Limited supplies, equipment, and food. ”
“You know, the man says he's not feeling well, but he can survive 50 days in that cold,” Benastic's parents said after staying for more than 20 days while they searched for their son. said Mike Reed, who runs the inn.
More than 120 volunteers took part in the search, along with RCMP canine and air units, but police called off formal search efforts on Oct. 28, CBC reported.
Despite this, his mother remained hopeful, telling the outlet on November 1 that Benastic had brought warm gloves, a hat, rain gear, a hatchet and “a lot of peanut butter.”
“He wasn't ready,” she said.
“Finding Sam alive is absolutely the best outcome. He's been missing for so long that we were worried this might not be the outcome,” said RCMP Corporal. Madonna Sanderson.
An image taken by Benastic's mother and posted by the Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association shows the defying hiker recovering in a hospital bed with a thumbs up and a smile on his face.
Missing hiker found alive after more than 5 weeks in remote BC park A missing hiker in the Northeast is found alive…
Posted by Nova Scotia Ground Search and Rescue Association above Thursday, November 28, 2024
