A 63-year-old British tourist, Gordon Dewar, was rescued after a harrowing night in a jungle teeming with snakes. Dewar, who was returning from a cycling expedition in Chiang Mai province, Thailand, took a detour off the main road to immerse himself in nature. Venturing into a forest trail in the Phrao district, Dewar lost his way amidst the challenging terrain on January 10.
With his food and water supply depleted, Dewar found himself stranded in the forest as night fell. He opted to camp in the dense woodland before contacting the authorities the next morning. Throughout the night, he braved encounters with cobras, pit vipers, bears, elephants, and leopards until rescue teams located him.
Expressing his gratitude for being found, Dewar stated, “I’m immensely relieved they located me. Without sustenance, I doubt I could have endured another night. I extend my heartfelt thanks to all those involved in my rescue.”
The Chiang Mai Tourist Police were alerted around 10:30 am local time and swiftly mobilized local rescuers, a team of motocross riders, volunteers, and drone operators to search the jungle. Following the nature trail, they discovered Dewar responsive but fatigued and dehydrated after approximately 15 hours without food or water.
The head of the Phrao rescue team recounted, “He informed us of his dehydration over the past 12 hours. After contacting the Tourist Police, who coordinated with us, we received the distress call around 10:30 am and reached him by nearly 1 pm. He had been awaiting assistance for about three hours. Ten of us were dispatched to aid him, navigating the steep path hindered by the mountainous landscape. Additionally, we had to transport his bicycle out. Despite mild exhaustion from dehydration and hunger, his overall health was stable.”
Dewar received hydration and mineral supplements while medics tended to his minor injuries. Officials noted he also experienced muscle strain from continuous days of cycling. Safely extracted from the forest on a motocross motorcycle with his intact bike, Dewar detailed his exploration of cycling routes in Chiang Mai and neighboring Mae Hong Son provinces, opting for an alternate path back to the city center. Following a replenishing meal, he expressed his appreciation to the rescue team before departing on his bicycle.