A man was rescued after spending nine days lost in the Canadian wilderness. Andrew Barber, 39, was reported missing in British Columbia's Cariboo region on July 31. His truck had broken down in a remote area, prompting a search by local authorities.

Staff Sgt. Brad McKinnon of the Williams Lake Royal Canadian Mounted Police described the search as challenging, likening it to "looking for a needle in a haystack." The Cariboo region is known for its boggy terrain and vast wilderness. Fortunately, Barber had a strong understanding of survival skills, which helped him endure the harsh conditions.

Barber built a shelter using sticks and moss. To stay hydrated, he drank from a pond, despite the water being unclean. McKinnon noted that Barber was "literally slurping unclean pond water" and foraged for food, eating whatever he could find. He also carved the word "HELP" into a rock and drew an "SOS" in the mud to signal for help.

On August 8, a helicopter from the Quesnel Search and Rescue team spotted Barber's distress signals and located him near his makeshift shelter, approximately three miles from where his truck was found. Bob Zimmerman, president of Quesnel Search and Rescue, stated that Barber was severely dehydrated and had sustained a leg injury. He was airlifted to Cariboo Memorial Hospital for treatment and is expected to recover fully.

Zimmerman expressed relief at the timing of the rescue, saying, "He was having a hard time standing. I don’t know that he would have made it another 24 hours without us recovering him. He’s a lucky man." The search involved multiple agencies, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and BC Emergency Health Services. The Quesnel Search and Rescue team emphasized the importance of their training and commitment to never giving up on a search.