Teen with autism found alive after six days lost in Victoria alpine region

A 17-year-old boy with autism was located alive on Thursday after spending six days missing in the woodlands of eastern Australia.

Police identified the teen only as William. He had been camping with a teenage friend when he disappeared last Friday near Walhalla, a former gold-mining town situated 185 kilometers east of Melbourne.

A police helicopter crew discovered the boy lying asleep on a flat rock next to a creek. He was surrounded by dense wilderness. Authorities later reunited him with his mother. Police stated that William was in good spirits and mostly in good health upon rescue.

Video footage from the rescue helicopter showed the teen shirtless and sunburned. He was wearing shorts and boots and had used towels as blankets. His mother, Elizabeth, told reporters she was over the moon that he was alive. She joked that he was grounded for life and never leaving the house again. The AP withheld her family name to avoid identifying her son.

William was transported to a hospital for health monitoring. His family said he has Level 2 autism, a condition that requires substantial support according to the Australian advocacy group Autism360. People with this diagnosis often face marked deficits in verbal and non-verbal social communication and rely heavily on routines. Disruption of those routines can cause substantial distress.

Acting Police Inspector Jason Benbow said William trekked up and down very steep terrain for days after becoming lost. He remained trapped by the steepness of his surroundings for the final two days. He was found 2 kilometers from his original campsite. Benbow said William woke to the sound of the helicopter, gave a thumbs up, and was winched to safety.

The search operation involved more than 100 emergency services personnel and volunteers. Southern Hemisphere spring weather had been mild in the alpine region during the week William was lost, with little rainfall recorded.