Teenager found alive after six days in Victorian bushland

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Victoria police found William on Thursday morning after he disappeared in dense bushland nearly a week ago Photograph: PR HANDOUT theguardian.com

Missing teenager reunited with mother after six days missing in Victorian bushland – video theguardian.com

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A 17-year-old named William was found alive on Thursday morning after nearly six days in dense bushland near Walhalla, 185km east of Melbourne, ending a search that had run since he strayed from his camp last Friday. Victoria police's air wing spotted him lying down in a creek; officers were winched down and flew him out to his mother, Elizabeth. "I am over the moon. He's alive," she told reporters, adding: "He is never leaving the house again. He is not going anywhere."

The reunion video shows William in the helicopter in shorts and work boots — the same clothes he had worn when he walked a short distance back toward the drop-off point to collect more camping equipment and never returned. His phone, food and water were all left at the camp. His friend searched the area after he failed to come back, found no trace, and the search escalated into a six-day operation involving the dog and rescue squad, air wing and, by Wednesday, public appeals to hunters, campers and landowners after a hunting camera turned up in the search zone. Police said William was last seen near Stoney Creek Road, between Cowwarr and Walhalla, on 6 November at about 4pm.

Six days in Victorian bush with no provisions puts the episode among the longer unassisted survivals Australia has recorded, though the details of what he lived on have not yet been released. He was taken to hospital for monitoring after the reunion.

The operation's conclusion came from a helicopter crew scanning creek lines from above — while a hunting camera sat in the same search area for nearly a week before anyone thought to ask its owner what it had seen.