A 43-year-old man who reportedly suffers from mental illness has been rescued alive after spending nearly three years alone in a forest on a mountain in Indonesia.
According to local media reports, the man, identified as Ayi Solehudin, was discovered last week in the dense forests of Mount Salak in Sukabumi Regency after being missing since 2023.
He was reportedly found by residents who were checking the flow of a river following heavy rainfall. The rescuers said they spotted him sitting alone on a moss-covered rock and appearing confused.
Witnesses said the man was severely malnourished, weak and unable to walk properly. He reportedly struggled to communicate and appeared frightened when approached by other people.
The rescuers carried him out of the forest on a stretcher before taking him to a local government office, where authorities conducted fingerprint and retina scans to establish his identity.
The identification process later confirmed him as Solehudin, a resident of Cianjur Regency whose family had reported him missing almost three years ago.
Family members subsequently verified his identity and explained that he had been battling mental health challenges before disappearing from home after venturing into the Mount Salak forest.
Despite extensive searches conducted by relatives and community members over the years, he remained missing. Reports indicated that he had occasionally been sighted in different areas, but he disappeared before family members could locate him.
Authorities have not determined exactly how long he stayed on the mountain.
However, his frail condition, including severe dehydration and extreme weight loss, suggested he had survived for an extended period with limited access to food and other necessities.
Relatives told reporters that Solehudin began experiencing mental health difficulties following the death of his parents and was known for wandering into forested areas alone.
They said he failed to return home after his last outing, sparking the search that lasted nearly three years.
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