A 69-year-old fisherman was located after spending 17 days lost in the Umpqua National Forest in Oregon. Harry Burleigh was reported missing on May 7 after he failed to return home from a fishing and camping trip.
Authorities located Burleigh's vehicle on May 8 but had no luck finding him in the wilderness. They found several make-shift shelters he built but were still unable to locate him. They discovered Burleigh's tackle box near one of his shelters on May 16 but couldn't track him down.
They even left notes and packages of food in areas where they believed he had been.
A rescue crew finally located Burleigh after he responded to their calls. He appeared to be in good shape and only reported some minor pain. He was airlifted out of the forest and taken to the hospital.
"This was the outcome we all have been looking for in this case. It is because of our determined Search and Rescue Teams and the partnerships we have with other SAR teams from around the state that Mr. Burleigh has been reunited with his family this evening," Sgt. Brad O'Dell of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.
Photo: Douglas County Sheriff's Office