How Korean tourist survived nearly a week lost in the bush

It’s been revealed how a South Korean backpacker miraculously managed to survive almost a week lost in Queensland bushland after falling from a mountain.

Joohee Han, 25, was last seen at a supermarket in the town of Tully on Thursday last week before telling a friend by phone the following day she was going for a walk at nearby Mount Tyson in a national park that morning, Queensland Police Inspector Steve Kersley said.

Queensland Ambulance Services flight paramedic Hannah Gaulke said Ms Han was taking photos of the view from the mountain’s top before slipping and falling unconscious for hours.

“She managed to crawl and scrape her way through the bushland, which was really tough terrain,” Ms Gaulke said.

Ms Han became stuck after reaching a rocky waterfall, where she waited for six days before being reached by rescuers. Ms Gaulke added she “couldn’t actually proceed any further and had no way to get back out”.

Insp Kersley said the 25-year-old had a raincoat, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, which kept her warm. He added she “had no bush skills”.

“(Her) surviving is a miracle, I can tell you,” he said.

One of the backpacker’s friends, Craig Strathie, said he received a call from her other friends informing him she had never “made the bus” – she was expected to arrive in Cairns on Saturday last week.

“To which we kind of thought, ‘well, where is she now?’” Mr Strathie said.

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But luckily, the 25-year-old was found on Thursday.

She was winched from the forest by a rescue helicopter, which took her to Tully, where she was assessed at a hospital.

Mr Strathie said he was shocked to hear of his friend’s story of survival and described her as being “built like a garden gnome”.

Another friend of Ms Han’s, Hwanki Han, said the 25-year-old was “a little bit shocked (and) hungry”.

He’s since called her family back home to let them know she’s safe.