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A missing teen is found alive after 6 days in the Australian woodlands

Police said the 17-year-old with autism was found alive after an aerial search located him near a creek and reunited him with his mother.

  • On Thursday, Victoria Police Air Wing officers located 17-year-old William alive in bushland near Stoney Creek after a six-day search. The teenager, missing since November 6, was winched to safety and reunited with his mother.
  • William disappeared Friday, November 6, after walking a short distance from his campsite near Walhalla to retrieve equipment. Police believe the teenager, who has Level 2 autism requiring 'substantial' support, became disoriented in the dense terrain.
  • Rescuers spotted William's tackle box from the air, guiding them to a dry creek bed where he had remained after falling down a cliff. His mother, Elizabeth Barkley, reported he was in 'good health and good spirits' with 'only a few scratches'.
  • Following the rescue, authorities transported the teenager to a hospital for monitoring. Barkley noted her son remained in the same spot, unable to move, until help arrived, saying, 'I'm just over the moon he's alive.'
  • The Bureau of Meteorology recorded overnight temperatures as low as 3C during the six-day ordeal, underscoring the environmental severity. Individuals with Level 2 autism often require specialized safety protocols when navigating rugged environments, experts note.
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(Seoul=Yonhap News) On the 12th (local time), a teenage boy was dramatically rescued in a mountainous area near Walhalla East in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, six days after he went missing...

·Seoul, Korea (the Republic of)
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A 17-year-old teenager with autism was found alive today after spending six days lost in forested areas in eastern Australia.

·Monterrey, Mexico
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An Australian teenager suffering from autism is miraculously surviving after being lost in the woods for six days, and an impressive meeting with the mother ends with a promise.

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Teen who has autism found alive after missing for nearly a week in the Australian woodlands

A 17-year-old boy with autism was found alive Thursday after six days lost in eastern Australian woodlands. The boy had begun camping with a teenage friend when he disappeared last Friday

·Oklahoma City, United States
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The cold night temperatures worried the rescuers.

·Helsinki, Finland
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Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer broke the news on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
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