A camper who went missing for nine days has been found alive, despite his initial fears of being in a dire situation. Troy Milne disappeared on October 7 from Woodside Beach near Melbourne while out to get supplies, leaving his wife behind at the campsite. Concerns were heightened due to his diabetes, raising worries of a possible medical emergency in the wilderness. Surveillance footage captured him looking disoriented at a service station the day after he vanished.
After an extensive search, including a public appeal by the police, Troy was discovered on October 16 near Kirby Cross Track in Gippsland, over 200km from where he was last seen. He had set a fire near his stuck Jeep in hopes of being rescued. Despite not having his insulin for a week, he managed to survive by drinking water and lighting a fire to attract attention.
Rescuers found Troy in reasonable condition and took him to a nearby hospital for evaluation. Despite the challenging circumstances, he was deemed to be in surprisingly good health. Authorities praised the outcome of the rescue operation, highlighting the difficulty of locating Troy in the vast area he had traveled before signaling for help with the fire.
Inspector Wayne Rothwell described the rescue as a remarkable success, noting that Troy’s disorientation without medication led him off-course. The strategic use of the fire ultimately led to his timely rescue.