Man Treks 40km Through Flooded Terrain After Car Gets Stuck

A man in his 40s undertook a remarkable journey of nearly 40 kilometers through mud after his car became bogged in a remote area of northwest Queensland on Sunday. He was eventually rescued by a LifeFlight helicopter crew, who described the situation as both challenging and astonishing.

Helicopter pilot Andrew Caldwell recounted the moment they spotted the man holding a “flat” mobile phone while standing in the flooded terrain. The crew was taken aback by his condition—he had no shoes, food, or water, and appeared utterly exhausted. “You could tell on his face that he was sick of walking,” Caldwell noted.

The search began approximately 500 kilometers from the LifeFlight base in Mount Isa. Initially, the crew followed two coordinates where the man was last reported, but there was no sign of him. “The road was very much deserted. It was closed in both directions,” Caldwell explained.

After locating the man’s vehicle approximately 140 kilometers south of Hughenden, the crew discovered it had become stuck in mud. Caldwell mentioned that it appeared the man had attempted a U-turn, which resulted in the vehicle becoming bogged down. Despite not seeing the man at that point, they found significant clues.

“We spotted foot tracks as we got lower,” Caldwell said. “The whole area is completely saturated, and the black soil is just thick, heavy mud, sort of ankle to almost knee-deep in some places.” The footprints indicated that the man had been walking southbound, likely carrying several kilograms of mud on his feet.

As the helicopter crew continued their search, they grew concerned about their fuel reserves. They spotted what appeared to be a star picket down the road, which ultimately led them to their target. “We were lucky enough to find the individual we were looking for,” Caldwell remarked, expressing amazement at the man’s endurance.

Incredibly, despite his arduous trek, the man was able to take a few more steps and walk to the helicopter. He was subsequently transported to a local hospital and treated for dehydration. Caldwell concluded that the crew was “gobsmacked” by the man’s ability to cover 38 kilometers through such difficult conditions.

This remarkable rescue highlights both the challenges posed by the flood-affected terrain and the resilience of individuals who find themselves in desperate situations.