A 61-year-old diabetic man missing for more than a week in remote Australian bushland has been found alive, after lighting a fire to alert rescuers.
Troy Milne disappeared on October 7 after leaving his campsite at Woodside Beach, Victoria to collect supplies.
His disappearance triggered an extensive search, with fears for the insulin-dependent diabetic's health growing as the days passed.
After nine days without food or medication, Milne was found around 5pm Thursday (local time) after firefighters spotted smoke from a blaze he had started.
Speaking to 9News, Milne said he feared he would not make it out alive.
"I thought I was a dead duck in water," he said. "I just drank lots of water."
Police said Milne's Jeep Wrangler had bottomed out on rough terrain and was undrivable, which prompted him to light the fire in the hope of drawing attention.
Inspector Wayne Rothwell described the rescue as "remarkable".
"We really feared the worst, so to be able to contact Troy's family and give them the fantastic news was a wonderful result,” he said.
"Troy was without his medication for a long period, which left him disorientated and confused. It was a challenging search due to the huge area he’d been travelling around."
Milne was taken to a local hospital for treatment and observation.
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