Joshua Dart will always cherish the moment he and his hiking group discovered missing bushwalker Hadi Nazari alive in Kosciuszko National Park. On the first day of their hike, while enjoying the stunning scenery, Dart and his friends heard a call for help. Dart recounted, “When we realized it was him, I couldn’t believe it. We were just emotional, we were crying and he was in tears.”
Nazari had been missing since Boxing Day, having lost track of time and become separated from his friends in the NSW Snowy Mountains. Over two weeks, extensive search efforts were made to find the 23-year-old man from Melbourne. He was finally located at 3:15 PM, near Blue Lake, where he had survived on foraged berries, creek water, and a couple of muesli bars he found in a hut.
Dart and his group provided Nazari with water and food, and he called his family to reassure them of his safety. “He was in such good spirits and just kept saying, ‘praise God.’ He was scratched up and sunburnt but otherwise okay,” Dart noted.
Nazari’s friend, Maisum Jafari, expressed immense joy upon hearing the news of his survival, stating that everyone had held on to “high hopes.” Upon contacting the hikers, Nazari borrowed a phone to call his mother, prompting the NSW Police to send a helicopter to rescue him. He was winched to the command post about 30 minutes after he was found and later reunited with his family.
Officials reported that Nazari is now in good health at Cooma Hospital. Authorities hope to speak with him soon about his experiences during the ordeal. NSW Police Superintendent Andrew Spliet emphasized the importance of hope in such search missions, assuring the family that they could finally rest easy.
For Dart and his hiking group, the experience was miraculous, as they expressed gratitude for the opportunity to help reunite Nazari with his loved ones. Dart reflected on the incident, commenting, “He really kind of rescued himself; we just happened to be there at the right place.”
This heartwarming story highlights the power of hope and perseverance, both in the face of adversity and the bonds of friendship. It serves as a reminder of the importance of staying positive and determined, even in challenging circumstances.
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