AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2003
WA: Stranded British tourist dies in outback
A 35-year-old British tourist has died after walking 70 kilometres through the West
Australian outback to find help after his car became bogged.
Marble Bar police sergeant DAVID HORNSBY says THOMAS HENRY SYKES from London died on
Friday morning at a medical clinic in the remote Aboriginal community of Punmu.
Mr SYKES had been attempting to drive hundreds of kilometres east towards New South
Wales when his car became bogged.
Two motorists discovered the man's hired 4WD on Thursday, about 70 kilometres east
of Punmu, and trackers discovered footprints heading back in the direction of the community.
However, a sandstorm on Thursday night forced them to abandon their search.
Rescuers found Mr SYKES about 7am (AWST, 10am AEDT) when their search resumed on Friday
morning, he was still alive but in a critical condition and severely dehydrated.
He was taken to a medical clinic in Punmu but died a short time later.
Sergeant HORNSBY says if Mr SYKES had stayed with his 4WD, which had enough water supply
for a couple of days, he would have survived.
AAP RTV kjd/jas
KEYWORD: UK TOURIST (SYDNEY)
2003 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.
No comments:
Post a Comment