Melbourne:An Australian teenage boy who had been missing for six days in dense bushland has been found alive. The boy, identified only as William and aged 17, was discovered early Thursday, having disappeared last Friday during a camping trip with a friend about 180 kilometers east of Melbourne, Victoria.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, William was located by a police helicopter while sleeping in a dry riverbed. The search operation, which included police dogs, divers, and helicopters, was extensive and saw William reunited with his family after nearly a week.

William managed to survive by using two towels as blankets to keep warm during the freezing nights and rationing a family-sized bag of chicken chips. Despite suffering from sunburn, scratches, and a sore leg, his mother, Elizabeth Barkley, described him as being in strong spirits and amazed at how well he coped during his ordeal.

The police reported that William had spent several days navigating extremely rugged and rocky terrain before falling down a steep riverbed embankment two days before being found. He remained at that location, sleeping and awaiting rescue while a large search effort, including more than 80 volunteers daily, scoured the area for him.