A MORNINGTON woman missing in Victoria’s remote eastern high country for four days was rescued by police late Sunday morning.
Lynette Joyce Bond, 68, was found lying on the banks of the Snowy River, where she had scrawled the word “HELP” in the sand. Her plea was spotted by Air Wing police searching the area by helicopter and she was winched to safety about 11.30am on Sunday 7 April.
Police said Ms Bond had been touring in the Snowy River National Park when her car broke down on Wednesday.
Ms Bond’s plight was not discovered until Saturday when a hiker discovered the four-wheel drive abandoned on the Derrick Trail, a challenging 4WD trail in mountainous and sometimes difficult terrain.
Ms Bond had left a note saying the car had broken down on Wednesday. “Gone for help to McKillops Bridge 2.45pm 3/4 Lynette,” the note read, the “3/4” relating to the date.
Emergency services were alerted about midday on Saturday and the search began with local police, the Air Wing, SES volunteers and bushwalkers involved.
Ms Bond was taken to hospital for a check-up on Sunday afternoon and it is believed she did not sustain any lasting injuries. Police have not released further details of Ms Bond’s disappearance or how she survived four days in some of Victoria’s most remote high country but luck was on her side to some extent, with relatively mild autumn conditions prevailing throughout her ordeal.
