An elderly man who disappeared from his home in Ha Tinh Province has been found alive after spending six days lost in a forest, local authorities said.
Officials in Ky Xuan Commune confirmed on September 24 that search teams and local residents had located Nguyen Tien Du, 83, a resident of Nam Tien Village, after an extensive search operation.
Du was found in the forest (Photo: Van Nguyen).
Du was found at around 5 pm on September 23 in a forested area approximately 40 kilometres from his home and more than 100 metres from the nearest residential area.
When rescuers reached him, the elderly man was suffering from exhaustion after several days with limited access to food and drinking water. Despite his weakened condition, he remained conscious and was able to speak with those who found him. Family members later took him to hospital for medical examinations.
According to Du, he encountered a passer-by during the first two days after becoming lost and was given cakes and water. After losing his sense of direction, however, he was unable to find his way home and remained in the forest.
Relatives said Du has 10 children but lives alone, with family members taking turns to look after him. Due to his advanced age, he has shown signs of memory loss.
At about 9 am on September 18, Du left home on a bicycle. He was wearing a blue shirt, green trousers and a baseball cap. When family members were unable to contact him, they reported his disappearance to local authorities.
Du at the time he cycled away from home (Photo: Provided by police).
Search teams, assisted by local residents, combed a wide range of areas including residential zones, hills, mountains and coastal locations. After six days and five nights of searching, Du was eventually found in the forest and safely reunited with his family.
