Missing Victorian camper Troy Milne found after 9 days by lighting fire
A Victorian man who vanished with his wife during a camping trip has been rescued after being stranded in the wilderness for days.
Troy Milne went missing after leaving a caravan park at Woodside Beach, south-east of Melbourne, on the afternoon of October 7 for a brief supply run.
What was supposed to be a quick trip turned into a missing person case covering a large area in the eastern part of the state.
Police appealed for public information on October 12, citing “deep concerns” that the insulin-dependent diabetic could become lost and confused.
He was found in remote and rugged bushland near Buchan on Thursday night after Victorian Bushfire Management personnel responded to a blaze near Kirby Cross Track at around 5pm.
Victoria Police spokesperson Acting Inspector Kris Hamilton said: “On arrival, firefighters located the Jeep Wrangler on the unmarked road next to the fire and subsequently located Troy nearby.”
“Troy’s vehicle had bottomed out off-road and was undrivable. As a result, the 61-year-old man lit a fire in the hope that emergency services would respond.”
Wellington Police Service District Inspector Wayne Rothwell described Mr Milne’s survival as a “remarkable outcome”.
“We really feared the worst, so being able to contact Troy’s family and tell them the wonderful news was a wonderful outcome,” he said.
“Troy was left without medication for a long period of time, causing him to become disoriented and confused, so we believe at some point he wandered off the highway and disappeared into the bush.
“When Troy lit the fire, it caught the attention of our fire crews who quickly responded and located him.”
Inspector Rothwell said the search was difficult due to multiple sightings of Mr Milne or his vehicle.
According to police, Mr Milne left Woodside Beach around 5.30pm on October 7 and several people reported seeing him in Sale, Bairnsdale, Omeo and Swifts Creek.
He was last seen looking “lost and confused” at a service station in Omeo at around 12.46pm on October 8, and his vehicle was captured on CCTV on Great Alpine Rd 20 minutes later.
“It was a challenging search due to the large area Troy roamed, so it was extremely difficult to narrow down where to focus our efforts,” Inspector Rothwell said.
“Troy’s family also expressed how grateful they were for his safe return home.”
