What's the story behind this then?  Anyone close to Mulu know?


http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/11/01/missing-australian-found-alive-at-mulu-national-park/?platform=hootsuite

"... he also had maggots embedded in his leg."  Sounds fun

I was with the park manager in Limbang when he got the call about this.

A 26 year old Australian stayed for a couple of nights with Tim Kalang near the Mulu clinic. He went into the park and texted Tim to say he would stay there overnight. The story I heard a couple of days ago was that he then went to Sarawak Chamber on his own and without a guide. My guess then was that the river flooded after heavy rain and he got stuck in there and probably ran out of light.

Not sure why it took more than a week to report him missing. I heard that the local people spent a couple of days looking for him before they raised the alarm.

I understand he previously went to Mt Kinabalu against the rules, without a guide and also Baku National Park.
It took three days to find him with over 30 people searching.

Maggots in the leg is good, it helps to prevent gangrene! I think they may have migrated from his brain - pillock!

However news since then suggests he was found in Hidden Valley or Camp 1.
http://www.theborneopost.com/2016/11/01/missing-australian-found-alive-at-mulu-national-park/?platform=hootsuite.
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/2046139
I  guess I won't know the truth till I go to Mulu in December.

Update. It looks like he was found in Hidden Valley.

http://www.malaysiandigest.com/frontpage/29-4-tile/640772-australian-engineer-reveals-reasons-behind-his-disappearance-in-mulu.html

I don't think there is any caving side to this at all.

In his own words - one, of several videos, at https://www.facebook.com/SarawakAritok/videos/333593460332372/ - he walked to Camp 4 (near the top of Mulu) in a day, reached the summit and returned almost to Camp 1 the next day  (no mean feat) but took wrong turn and got lost wandering round in the dark.

Despite what the press releases said, probably the most reliable story I have heard is that he was found behind the Tiger Cave batu - which is in the upper Paku valley, on the way to Hidden Valley. Presumably he realised that prolonged steep climbs were not likely to lead back to HQ, and he ended up going round in circles, eating only ferns which he recognised from having spent several months living in various parts of the country.

The National Parks will now be tightening up on their monitoring of visitors: http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/11/03/sarawak-to-tighten-monitoring-of-visitors-at-national-parks/  - and his mum has the last word: https://www.facebook.com/7newssydney/videos/1414828541874608/