The family of an octogenarian hiker who went missing in England got a major surprise before a press conference they had called to organize a search committee.
Harry Harvey, 80, went missing in Northern England after being separated from his hiking partner on Saturday during a hailstorm. Harvey reappeared Tuesday at the news conference about his disappearance, bringing relief to his family. Video from the encounter shows Harvey hugging people as he was led into the Tan Hill Inn, where the news conference was being held.
“This morning, we did not expect to have this result. We really thought we were looking for an unfortunate end to this matter,” said a member of the Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team, according to the Washington Post.
After being separated on Saturday afternoon, Harvey, an experienced hiker, said he switched to “Plan B” and searched for a safe place to camp. He said he was “never worried” as he spent four days and three nights stranded. During that time, the only major incident was that he fell into a stream and injured his head.
“The place where we got separated was absolutely desolate. There was no chance of putting a tent up, that’s for sure, so I had to find somewhere safe, which is what I did,” Harvey said after the ordeal.
Rescue workers, locals, police, and the Royal Air Force had been searching the area for him since Sunday. While stranded, he said that he saw the helicopters and blew his emergency whistle to no avail. He was finally discovered when Annette Pyrah, a wildlife photographer taking pictures of birds, spotted him waving. She said she cried when she realized she had discovered the missing man.
“I was out taking photographs of grouse, and instead of grouse, I found Harry,” Pyrah told the BBC. “I just looked up at the fell, and this gentleman waved at me. I got out of my car, and I said, ‘Are you Harry? Have you been missing for three days?’ And he said yes. And I started crying.”
Inspector Mark Gee called the rescue “fantastic news.”
“I want to thank all the search volunteers for their time, as well as Gamekeepers, estate owners, farmers and local residents for their help and understanding,” Gee said in a statement. “This is fantastic news.”
Harvey had a good attitude about his misadventure and was joking around at the news conference.
“I had three really good, wild camping nights where I was on my own and had all the kit I needed,” Harvey said at the news conference, adding that hunger did gnaw at him while he was lost.
“I’ve got a hell of an appetite,” he explained with a smile. “And when I get hungry, I’ve got to get something to eat or I cannot go anywhere.”
