Andrew Barber was rescued after surviving nine days lost in the Canadian wilderness. He has been found after etching the word “help” on a rock and drawing an “SOS” in mud to try to alert rescuers.
The 39-year-old was reportedly missing in the vast wilderness of Canada’s province of British Columbia, near McLeese Lake, which is 365 miles from the north of Vancouver, where his truck had broken down on 31 July.
However, on August 8, Andrew was found safe near his shelter after being spotted successfully by a helicopter from the rescue team, near his makeshift shelter after catching a glimpse of his truck.
Quesnel Search and Rescue President Bob Zimmerman has told CBC news that rescuers had first seen Barber’s truck and they found him, and his shelter three miles away.
They further explained, “This outcome is the result of countless hours on the ground and in the air efforts, using every resource and piece of technology available to us.”
Pictures have been shared by a rescue group which showed that Barber has built a hut for himself out of sticks and mud. It was braced up against the rock where he used dirt to write “help”.
He was taken to hospital for treatment where doctors found he was extremely dehydrated, and had a leg injury.
Staff Sgt Brad McKinnon of the William Lake RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) said that Barber is doing quite well.
He further stated, “He was literally slurping unclean pond water to stay hydrated. The human body can go a long time without food, but water is a different situation.”