Bushwalker found alive days after going missing in freezing Tasmania
A Victorian bushwalker who was missing in rugged wilderness in Tasmania has been found alive after three days.
Michael Bowman, 57, has been located in the Lake St Clair region and is being taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital as a precaution, Tasmanian police said.
The man had been missing since Saturday after he failed to return from a bush walk in the southern state.
A search party was launched on Monday after a family member alerted authorities.
Grave fears were held for the hiker who had to endure three nights in near-freezing conditions, which threatened to hamper search efforts.
Photos shared by Tasmania Police highlighted the challenge they faced in recent days, with officers pictured in thigh-deep snow and a search boat covered in ice.
An air, ground and water search for Mr Bowman continued on Tuesday morning after the Westpac Rescue Helicopter was forced to return to base on Monday morning due to the dangerous weather.
Speaking to the AAP, Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Matthew Thomas said any person left out in such conditions would struggle to fend off hypothermia.
"Cold temperatures and strong winds increase the risk of hypothermia," he said of the overnight conditions faced by Mr Bowman.
The temperature at Lake St Clair dropped to a low of 2C on Monday night, with the addition of strong winds.
It is believed he had an emergency beacon with him but it's not known if that was activated.
Police believe Mr Bowman had set up camp to do walks in the Mt Cuvier region before blizzard-like weather set in over the weekend.
Several bush walkers rescued in Tasmania
Several bushwalkers have been rescued by helicopter from the Cradle Mountain area in recent days, including a British man and Hobart school group from Dove Lake on Tuesday.
A West Australian father and his daughter who became stranded by snow in the region two days ago have also been retrieved safe and well.
They were reached by a search party on Tuesday afternoon and were flown by helicopter to safety.
Helicopters are checking every hut on the popular Overland Track for bushwalkers who may be in trouble.
Bushwalkers including a Brisbane man aged in his 40s also had to be rescued on Monday from the northwest end of Lake St Clair.
Another two NSW hikers were plucked from the Walls of Jerusalem National Park to the south earlier in the day.
People are urged not to go bushwalking unless they are well-prepared for freezing weather.
With AAP
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