A man rescued in the Northern Territory outback this morning says he left his friend two days ago to find help.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Police today are concentrating their aerial search on the area, adjacent to the Palmer Valley Station boundary fence, where he last saw her.
Phu Tran was found in the area of Palmer Valley by a pastoralist doing a bore check this morning.
The man is disorientated, thirsty and hungry but otherwise in good condition after being stuck in the outback for two weeks, police said this morning.
Police said he will be transported to the Alice Springs Hospital for treatment to exposure later today.
Police continue to search for Claire Hockridge who remains missing in the area.
Tamra McBeath-Riley, 52 was found on Sunday in the nearby Stuarts Well area after police located the vehicle the trio were travelling in bogged the bed of the Hugh River.
Again it was a pastoralist who led police to the stuck vehicle.
Her two friends had headed off in a different direction, towards the Stuart Highway, after 13 days in the outback, believed to have been walking in a different direction to get help after their car became bogged.
Ms McBeath-Riley was treated for dehydration and exposure but was able to tell media she stayed alive by finding cattle water.
The three had gone four-wheel-driving south of Alice Springs on Tuesday, November 19.
NT police have failed to find them even after an exhaustive search by air and land after they were reported missing on the next Saturday, four days after they were last seen.
Temperatures over the past week have reached extreme levels or more than 40 degrees on some days.
Ms McBeath-Riley was found east of the Stuarts Well area, south of Alice Springs, late Sunday.
Supt Pauline Vicary today said the rescue was a miracle after two weeks lost.
"We are hopeful of finding the missing woman today," she said.
She said police will be able to narrow their search down due to Phu Tran's information.
They came to the boundary fence of Palmer Valley Station two days ago, and he followed it along to find either a homestead or water, before being found by the pastoralist today.
Police said Claire Hockridge was "fine" when Mr Tran left her at the fence.
Police said the man's discovery was not in the area they were concentrating their efforts after finding Ms McBeath-Riley on Sunday.
Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
