'Back from the dead' backpacker Jamie leaves hospital
- 00:01:35
- ITN
'Back from the dead' backpacker Jamie leaves hospital
A British backpacker who was lost in the Australian bush for 12 days has been released from hospital. Jamie Neale, from north London, was found alive but dehydrated by sightseers in the Blue Mountains national park, west of Sydney, on Wednesday morning. The 19-year-old was taken to Katoomba's Blue Mountains Hospital to be treated for dehydration and exposure. Mr Neale said: "I am very grateful to everybody for their help and support." His father Richard Cass, who flew to Australia a week ago to join the search, had given up hope that his son would be found and was about to fly home when he received a text message from police saying there was good news. "The words 'good news' told me everything. That was when I knew he was safe," he said. Mr Cass said he had been so sure he would never see his son alive again that he had even said goodbye by burying a red rose and lighting a candle at the national park where he also scratched his son's name and date of birth into the ground. He added: "He's come back from the dead. I'm just so pleased to see him. It's fantastic." Mr Neale left the UK for Australia on June 20 for his first big trip which was due to include Laos, Vietnam and Nepal. He arrived in Australia on June 22 and checked into the Katoomba youth hostel, in New South Wales, on July 2. He left the hostel for a walk in the Blue Mountains at 9.40am on July 3 and was seen about noon on top of the Ruined Castle, a rock formation in the Jamison Valley. He told other sightseers that he intended to walk east towards Mount Solitary. But the alarm was raised when he failed to arrive for a pre-paid tour of the Jenolan Caves the following day and police found his mobile phone and identification in his hostel room.
ITN | July 17, 2009
