It was the sound of dogs barking at rescuers that led them to find an elderly man who had been missing for two nights in bushland in Queensland’s North Burnett.
Most important points:
- David Grimes went missing after walking his dogs in the wilderness on Monday
- An extensive search took place by police and volunteers on foot, on quads and on horseback
- Rescuers say it was Mr Grimes’s dogs that caused them to find him in critical condition two days later
David Grimes, 84, had left his home in Penwhaupell, near Gayndah, to go for a walk with his Jack Russell terriers Peter and Chloe on Monday afternoon.
His family alerted police when he failed to return, triggering a massive multi-agency search on the ground and from the air.
“We had up to 15 local people on foot and on horseback at any given time for the past two and a half days in search of some very rugged land,” said Queensland Police Inspector Paul Algie.
During the two nights Mr Grimes was missing, temperatures dropped to a few digits, leaving authorities with serious concerns for his well-being.
It was on Wednesday afternoon when a local man searching on horseback was alerted by barking dogs that they found Mr Grimes among rocks where he was partially submerged in water.
“It was an excellent effort by the local population, as well as the emergency services volunteers and Queensland Police personnel,”
Found after two nights
Rescuers told the RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter crew that the man was extremely difficult to spot.
Mr Grimes was treated by paramedics for hypothermia before being flown to Bundaberg Hospital in critical condition.
He is reportedly in a serious but stable condition.
“He’s unwell, obviously because he’s been busy for the past two days,” Detective Inspector Algie said.
“We’re just hopeful now that he’s getting the medical attention he needs to recover.”