California Man Found Alive After 10 Days Missing in Remote Wilderness
California man Lukas McClish found alive after a week in the wilderness, survived by drinking from creeks and eating wild berries.
Lukas McClish, 34, was reported missing by his family in California. He was last seen on foot in the Boulder Creek area of Santa Cruz, wearing all-black clothing. A week later, on Thursday, witnesses reported hearing someone yelling for help near Foreman Creek, off an area highway, at around 3 p.m. local time.
Discovery and Rescue Operation
Following the reports, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office confirmed that it was McClish calling for help. Drones were utilized to locate his exact position in a remote canyon before officials attempted to reach him on foot. State parks rangers were the first to make contact with McClish, and fire crews subsequently assisted in bringing him to safety.
Survival in the Wilderness
According to the Boulder Creek Volunteer Fire Department, McClish had managed to survive for over 10 days in the wilderness. Chief Mark Bingham of Boulder Creek Fire Protection District revealed that McClish had to drink from the creek and eat wild berries to sustain himself during his time in the woods. Despite being disoriented and lost, McClish remained resilient and resourceful.
Reunion with Family
MccLish required assistance to hike out of the woods but fortunately, he sustained no major injuries. He has since been reunited with his loving friends and family, much to the relief of the community. The Boulder Creek Volunteer Fire Department expressed gratitude towards the community for rallying support during the search and rescue efforts.
Chief Bingham's Account
Chief Mark Bingham described the challenging terrain, stating, "There are no trails, no roads, several miles from the closest place to a road, which the closest road that we got into, we had to four-wheel drive probably a quarter of a mile in and then we couldn't go further," to The Santa Cruz Sentinel.
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