Home

Teen found after long night and long trek

Tari JeffersManjimup-Bridgetown Times
One Tree Bridge is about 20km from Manjimup.
Camera IconOne Tree Bridge is about 20km from Manjimup. Credit: Tari Jeffers

A 15-year-old Perth boy missing in the dense Manjimup forest region for 10 hours overnight has been located “cold but happy”, according to police.

Carlos Fernandes was found on Seven Day Road just after 7am this morning, 14km from where his family was marroning near One Tree Bridge.

The teen survived the night while Manjimup received 5mm of rain and temperatures as low as 11C.

Carlos had been missing since 9pm on Tuesday and police received the call at 11pm.

Police were notified about the teen’s location on Wednesday morning following a phone call from a member of the public.

Manjimup officer-in-charge Sgt Isaac Rinaudo said it was a great outcome for the situation.

“He told his family he was going for a walk and then got lost,” he said.

“He had fallen in the creek.”

Sgt Rinaudo said the teen declined to go to the hospital.

Police searched for Carlos with his father until 2am and by 3am there were also five SES members involved.

“We had 28 SES members from Manjimup, Bridgetown, Busselton and Margaret River and their canine from 5.30am,” Sgt Rinaudo said.

Manjimup SES manager Michael Mackay-Blair advised people that if “they thought they were lost, they were”.

“Don’t move, find somewhere comfortable and sit down, we’ll find you,” he said.

Mr Mackay-Blair said if you have a mobile phone, call 000.

“999 and 911 also work, emergency numbers from every country work, in case people from other countries don’t know 000,” he said.

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails