Australian hiker rescued after crawling for two days with broken leg and wrist
54-year-old hiker Neil Parker was walking alone, 20 miles west of the Australian city of Brisbane when he found himself in a terrifying situation, falling 20 feet down a waterfall, breaking his leg and wrist.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN HIKER NEIL PARKER, SAYING:
"With it being so dry, the lichen on the rock, instead of it really sticking to the rock, slipped and gave way and I caught myself the first time as I started to slide but I had too much momentum and over I went. I was climbing up, I started looking down and just started sliding down the face of the rock and slid about 20 foot, cartwheeled, slammed into the rock and then landed in the creek at the bottom."
Like something out of a Hollywood blockbuster, Parker had to get creative in order to survive.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN HIKER NEIL PARKER, SAYING:
"So I got my phone out, no range, I'm in a really deep rocky gully, so my mobile phone is no good here, so I'm thinking is anyone gonna raise the alarm so I'm gonna have to climb, scramble back out the rocks to get back out here. So I went to put my phone in my pocket, missed my pocket and into the drink, now my phone's gone. Now I have no way of contacting the outside world and I was thinking, the only way I'm gonna get rescued is self rescue, is the only way I can think, I don't know who's gonna be able to find me."
Parker said he had no choice but to crawl to a clearway that he believed search and rescue workers would be able to spot him.
It took him two days.
He was eventually spotted by the helicopter and winched out on Tuesday (September 17) afternoon.
A reunion with his family getting him through.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN HIKER NEIL PARKER, SAYING:
"They rang my kids in New Zealand, and my son said he'd fly over next week. So it'll be really good. I've been disassociated with him for the last two years... So yeah, that's the main reason, I wanted to be around for my kids."
