Victoria police found William on Thursday morning after he disappeared in dense bushland nearly a week ago. Photograph: SuppliedView image in fullscreenVictoria police found William on Thursday morning after he disappeared in dense bushland nearly a week ago. Photograph: Supplied‘He is never leaving the house again’: mother reunites with son missing for six days in Victorian bushlandWilliam, 17, was reported missing after straying from his camp near Walhalla in Victoria’s Gippsland region
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A teenager has shared an emotional reunion with his mother after being found alive following almost a week lost in dense bushland.
Police AirWing found William, 17, whose surname has not been shared, laying down in a creek near Walhalla, 185km east of Melbourne, in Victoria’s east on Thursday morning.
Rescue teams had been scouring bushland from the air when they spotted the 17-year-old.
He was first reported missing after straying from his camp near Walhalla, last Friday.
Missing teenager reunited with mother after six days missing in Victorian bushland – videoOfficers were winched down to the site after spotting the teen, before bringing him back to reunite him with his mother, Elizabeth.
A video captured the moment his mother first saw her son, who was sitting inside the police helicopter in shorts and workboots.
He appeared to smile before embracing his mother in a warm hug as officers looked on.
“I am over the moon. He’s alive,” she told reporters at the scene. “He is never leaving the house again. He is not going anywhere.”
William was taken to hospital for monitoring.
The teenager had been dropped off by his mother for the weekend to camp with his friend on Friday. It is believed he walked a short distance back to the drop-off location to retrieve further camping equipment.
When William failed to return shortly after, his friend searched the area but found no trace of the teen.
He was wearing only shorts and work boots when he went missing, with a mobile phone, food and water left behind.
Police said he was last seen near Stoney Creek Road, between Cowwarr and Walhalla, on 6 November about 4pm.
On Wednesday, investigators appealed to hunters, campers and landowners to come forward with any information after a hunting camera was found in the search area.
Emergency service workers, including the dog and rescue squad had been searching the dense bushland since last Friday.
Fox Style News Syndicate. Sourced from broadcast reporting: Read Full Source Coverage.