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Tourist survives six days in Australian wilderness after falling into ravine

Warm raincoat helped her survive, police say

Oliver Wheaton
Friday 08 June 2018 05:29 EDT
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Korean backpacker Joohee Han winched to safety after a week in the Australian bush

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A Korean tourist who spent six days alone in the Australian wilderness without food or shelter was rescued after a search party heard her cries for help.

Joohee Han, 25, was hiking back from the summit of Mount Tyson in Queensland when she slipped into a deep ravine and knocked herself unconscious.

After waking up five hours later, she crawled to a waterfall where she remained for six days, exposed to the elements and without any food.

Her friends alerted the police when Ms Han, who set out alone, had not returned to her hostel.

She was discovered by a search party, six days after her fall, when her screams were heard coming out of the ravine.

A helicopter crew passed food down to her before winching her to safety.

A police statement said: "The woman was located at about 12.10pm in bushland suffering from dehydration and exposure after being lost in the bush for six days."

Queensland Ambulance flight paramedic Hannah Gaulke told ABC News: "In the entire time she was missing she'd had no food with her at all."

Joohee Han survived without food for six days Queensland Police
Joohee Han survived without food for six days Queensland Police (Queensland Police)

She said Ms Han was disorientated after her fall and crawled up a slippery waterfall.

"She got to a point where she couldn't actually proceed any further and she had no way to get back out and that's where she stayed for days," Ms Gaulke added.

Police said her survival could in part, be attributed to her raincoat which kept her warm.

Despite her ordeal, medical staff said Ms Han didn't suffer any major injuries.

Ms Gualk said: "She was actually in really good condition, so she had no significant injuries — a number of abrasions and a few minor injuries — but otherwise she was in good spirits."

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