Hiker found alive after 13 days lost in Australia's Kosciuszko Park

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A Melbourne student who spent almost two weeks lost in Kosciuszko National Park has been found safe after a massive search operation.

Hadi Nazari, 23, a neurosurgery student, became separated from his friends on Boxing Day while hiking the Hannels Spur Trail between Khancoban and Thredbo in the NSW Snowy Mountains.

He spent 13 days alone in the bush with just water and two muesli bars for sustenance.

Nazari's ordeal ended on Wednesday afternoon when he spotted a group of passing hikers, who he called out to for help.

He identified himself as the missing hiker and told them he was "thirsty."

The hikers immediately contacted emergency services, leading to his rescue. Nazari was found approximately 20 kilometres from the main police command post in Geehi at around 3:15 pm (local time).

"One of my police at the scene had spoken to him and he relayed that he found a hut up there in the mountains and there were two muesli bars up there," Superintendent Andrew Spliet said. "That's pretty much all that he's had to consume over the last two weeks."

Nazari was winched to safety and assessed by paramedics. He was alert, in good spirits, and showed no obvious injuries. He was later reunited with his family and taken to Cooma Hospital for further examination.

Supt Spliet praised Nazari’s previous hiking experience and physical fitness, which likely contributed to his survival. "Has he rested in the shade during the day, has he found walking tracks that he's been able to get on? He's done really well," Spliet said.

The search for Nazari intensified after a message was found on his camera, recorded in Indonesian. In the video, Nazari apologised for going missing and mentioned that he had been drinking water.

Authorities believe the video, which was deliberately left on a remote hiking trail, helped confirm that Nazari was still alive.

"This is an incredible outcome," said Riverina Police District Inspector Josh Broadfoot. "After 13 long days, he has been located.

We want to thank our emergency services partner agencies, volunteers, and members of the public for their assistance. We never gave up hope of finding him, and we are elated we can return him safely to his family."

Photo: NSW Police

Over 300 people, including NSW Police, SES, National Parks and Wildlife Service, and several other agencies, assisted in the search.

The coordinated effort also involved the NSW Ambulance, RFS, VRA Rescue NSW, PolAir, and Westpac Lifesaver.

Photo: NSW Police

Authorities are still gathering details about Nazari’s survival methods, but it is clear that his ability to stay hydrated and his past hiking experience helped him endure the challenging conditions.