A 25-year-old Victorian man survived five nights without food as police and volunteers searched swampland for him in the state’s south-east.
Owen Townsend was found on Wednesday morning at about 9.30am in Golden Beach, a coastal town in Gippsland, after he was spotted by a passerby.
East Gippsland police Supt Mark Edwards said Townsend had begun walking towards Loch Sport, more than 20km north-east of Golden Beach, but ended up near a swamp area near Lake Reeve.
“He’s been through some pretty horrendous conditions and some very cold water,” Edwards said.
“How he survived without food and water, I don’t know.”
He said Townsend’s exact whereabouts during the past five days were not known.
“He was in the swamp, but how long he was in there for I don’t really know.”
Edwards said Townsend was thirsty and in a dishevelled state when he was discovered.
He said Townsend was attempting to make his way back to his grandmother’s house when he was spotted.
Townsend’s family had on Sunday alerted police that he was missing.
Police subsequently issued an alert saying the Golden Beach man was last seen in the town on Friday.
In the alert, police and his family said they were concerned for his welfare due to a medical condition.
They said he was likely wearing tracksuit pants, a T-shirt and hoodie and carrying a piece of driftwood he used as a walking stick.
On Tuesday Townsend’s grandmother, Amanda McCarthy, told reporters that he usually took medication for a health condition.
His younger sister, Lilly Thompson, said Townsend often walked long distances in the past.
The family thanked the local community for their support in helping search efforts.
Police had conducted a search of the Golden Beach area alongside mounted officers, the State Emergency Service, the police air wing, the water police and Parks Victoria.
