Missing man found alive in desert by Indigenous group, days after police called off search

3 months ago 24

A 26-year-old former Melburnian has been found alive after spending seven days lost in the remote desert west of Alice Springs – thanks to the persistence of his community, after police called off their search.

Members of the local South Sudanese community, led by the African Association of Central Australia, continued the search for Gach Top after police suspended efforts five days into their search.

An image of Gach Top that police released in the hopes of finding him.

Roughly 30 young men and women, mobilised by association chair Chuol Yat, combed 10 kilometres of terrain for up to five hours on Monday with the hope that Top was still alive.

“The community search was a result of the police decision to suspend the search after five days … the community still had hope that Gach would be found alive,” he said.

After hours of searching, Top was eventually found by a local Indigenous community, who notified his family.

“He was wrapped in a blanket and was exhausted,” Yat said. “The family, including the community, are overjoyed because many of us felt that this young man was not dead. He was found alive, and everybody was so happy.”

Top had been missing since late afternoon on Monday, July 28, and was last seen wearing a red or orange puffer jacket, cream-coloured tracksuit pants, and dark-coloured runners.

NT Police said the alarm was raised after “he failed to attend work for a rostered shift that night … Gach was driving his red Mazda CX5, which was located [that Monday] morning by police”.

His disappearance sparked a huge emergency services search by over 50 personnel, including police, NT Emergency Services, NT Fire and Rescue Service, and Parks and Wildlife NT, covering 500 kilometres of rough terrain.

NT Police and emergency services gather in the search for Gach Top in desert, west of Alice Springs.

By day five, police informed Top’s family that the search had been suspended.

On Saturday, Acting Sergeant Chris Grotherr thanked the search teams, but said the matter would now be handled by the NT Police Southern Crime Division for further investigation.

Top was located in the vicinity of Jay Creek on Monday night and taken to hospital for assessment.

“The Northern Territory Police Force no longer holds concerns for the welfare of a 26-year-old man who hasn’t been since last Monday,” police said in a statement.

“Police would like to thank members of the public for their assistance.”

Top, who originally lived in Melbourne before moving to the Northern Territory, had reportedly left his phone in his car after driving to an isolated area.

The missing person case captured national attention, with several Melburnians celebrating the news Gach had been found.

Gach Top went missing in the desert near Alice Springs.

“On behalf of our family and south Sudanese community, specially Nuer [ethnic South Sudanese] community,” wrote Dech Top on Facebook on Monday night.

“God answered our prayers our young brother Gach Koang Top has been found a live today. Thank you to big man above. We would like to thank our entire community for standing with us.”

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