Missing Australian found in Malaysia jungle

An Australian tourist missing in a Malaysian mountain range for nearly two weeks has been found alive.

Andrew Gaskell was reported missing on 20 October as he was trekking alone in Mulu National Park in the Sarawak region of Malaysian Borneo.

Mr Gaskell seemed to have suffered from malnourishment but was conscious and able to talk to his rescuers, the Borneo Post reported. “Numerous leeches” were found on his legs, said the paper. He has been taken to hospital in Miri. Mr Gaskell’s family and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have confirmed his rescue.

His relatives had previously thanked Malaysian authorities for their help in “the difficult time”.

More than 60 personnel were involved with the search mission for the 26-year-old engineer from Tasmania.

Mr Gaskell had written on his blog that he was setting out on a trip to Asia in August.

“And maybe, just maybe, in the course of my travels I’ll come to some sort of conclusion as to who I am and what I want to do with my life,” he wrote. “And so begins my journey beyond the horizon.” A World Heritage site, the Mulu National Park is famed for its caves and limestone formations.