A 76-year-old Vietnam War veteran has been rescued after surviving five days lost in the harsh desert terrain of Arizona, United States, in a dramatic search-and-rescue operation.
The man, identified as Mark Eric Young, went missing after taking a wrong turn while travelling alone in the Bloody Basin area on 16 April, following attendance at a wedding.
Authorities from Yavapai County said concern was raised when he failed to appear for a scheduled meeting the following day, prompting his family to report him missing.
During the ordeal, Young endured extreme heat, dehydration risks, and wildlife threats in the desert environment. He reportedly sought shelter under trees, relied on basic survival tools such as a compass and water purification equipment, and resorted to extreme measures, including drinking his own urine after running out of water on the third day.
“I had never gone five days without water in my life. It was the most frightening experience,” he said.
He also recounted a tense encounter with a venomous snake that attempted to attack him, which he managed to escape from.
Rescue teams later located his abandoned vehicle before tracking his movements across the search area. On the fifth day, he was finally found after hearing voices from family members and was subsequently airlifted to safety by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office helicopter unit.
He was later transported to hospital for treatment of dehydration and was reported to be in stable condition.
