How a young student miraculously survived for nearly a WEEK lost and alone in dense bushland before she was found barefoot above a 50m cliff
- Yang Chen went missing when she was hiking on the outskirts of the Gold Coast
- The 26-year-old was walking with a friend on February 12 when she vanished
- Ms Chen was found barefoot perched on a 50-metre gorge face at 11am
A 26-year-old woman who spent five days alone and lost in the bush has miraculously been found alive.
Yang Chen went missing on February 12 from the Tallebudgera Valley, on the outskirts of the Gold Coast, during a walk with a friend.
When the man realised she was no longer behind him, he raised the alarm and a frantic search began.
Yang Chen went missing from the Tallebudgera Valley, on the outskirts of the Gold Coast - she was found five days later
She was found barefoot perched on a 50-metre gorge less than a kilometre from where she went missing on Monday
The search was repeatedly suspended due to treacherous weather.
But after more than five days in the dense forest, Ms Chen was found barefoot perched on a 50-metre gorge less than a kilometre from where she went missing at 11am on Monday.
She had spent four nights sleeping inside a large plastic sack she found, which was understood to protect bananas in the area.
All she ate for five days was a single berry from a tree, which she spat straight out after discovering its bitter taste.
Ms Chen was taken to Robina Hospital for medical treatment for scratches and malnutrition, but was otherwise unharmed.
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Ms Chen was taken to Robina Hospital for medical treatment for scratches and malnutrition
Ms Chen told Courier Mail she saw search crews three days ago, but due to the thick forest waterfalls they couldn't hear her.
'She just kept saying thank you, thank you,' said a rescuer when she was found.
Police were concerned they would be finding Ms Chen's body.
'I had that unfortunate feeling in my stomach that we weren't going to find her alive,' Acting Senior-Sergeant Mitch Gray, of Gold Coast Water Police, said.
'I've got to be honest, I had knots in my stomach, I really did. Having a win, it's nice for everyone involved.'
He said divers risked their lives to scale the rock ledge to save Ms Chen and it was one of the toughest searches of the year.
Senior Sergeant Gray said the man Ms Chen had been with felt extremely guilty about her going missing.
He said she was very dehydrated but would be fine once she was treated in hospital.
Ms Chen is in a stable condition in hospital.
Senior Sergeant Gray said the man Ms Chen had been with felt extremely guilty about her going missing. He said she was very dehydrated but would be fine once she was treated in hospital
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