Updated September 18th, 2019 at 19:07 IST

Australia: Hiker Neil Parker rescued after crawling for two days

An Australian bushwalker, Neil Parker, explained his story of extreme struggle about how he managed to crawl for two arduous days through scrub and dense forest

Reported by: Manogya Singh
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An Australian hiker Neil Parker shared his story of extreme struggle about how he managed to crawl for two arduous days through scrub and dense forest to safety, after tumbling down a waterfall and snapping his leg in two. The 54-year-old hiker planned three-hour hike northwest of Brisbane went horribly wrong Sunday when he slipped six meters (20 feet) down the waterfall, fracturing his leg and wrist. 

Crawled for two days

According to global media, he said that he cartwheeled and slammed into a huge rock, landing in a creek at the bottom, and the entire bottom half of his leg was hanging loose that got clean snapped into half. Parker also added that he knew he was in a lot of trouble as no one knew where he was. He immediately tried to contact through his phone for help, but accidentally dropped his phone into a drink. 

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He continued to crawl back to a clearing to have a better chance of being rescued. The pain was so great that Parker started to hallucinate, due to badly injured leg. With just a handful of nuts and some lollies to sustain him, Parker continued the three-kilometer journey, crawling inch-by-inch to clear ground.  

He explained that what could have taken him just 40 minutes, took him two days due to the injury. Although he saw a search-and-rescue helicopter flying right over his head on Sunday, he still knew that there was no way they could find him through the dense scrub. 

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Spotted by the rescue helicopter

Parker was eventually spotted by the rescue helicopter and winched out on Tuesday afternoon. The hiker, who founded a bushwalking club and has helped rescue other stranded hikers in the past, said knowledge had been instrumental to his survival, as he had set out well prepared with items such as bandages, a compass, and even a sleeping bag. 

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He revealed that the thought of his family, especially his son is what kept him going, as he wanted his family to know that he was alright. He added by saying that he just wanted to be with his kids again. 

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Published September 18th, 2019 at 14:26 IST