Boy, 6, rescued from forest after five days lost
Dang Tien Lam, who lives in the northwestern Yen Bai province, was playing in a stream with his nine siblings on August 17 when he wandered into the hills and got lost, local reports said.
He was found on Wednesday by local farmers who heard a child’s cry while they were clearing a cinnamon field near the forest.
Lam, who was discovered sitting in cassava bushes about 6 km (3.7 mi) from where he went missing, was so weak he was unable to stand.
“I’m so tired, I can’t stand up; please carry me,” Lam said, according to 52-year-old farmer Ly Van Nang.
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Lam survived on leaves, wild fruits, and stream water, reports said.
Pictures online show locals tending to him and offering him cake after he was carried out of the forest.
He was found wearing a red T-shirt and shorts that were completely soiled.
“[The child told me] that when he got lost, he could not find his way home,” said Mr. Nang, according to local news site Dan Tri.
“And the more he walked, the more he could not find a way out.”
The police called it a “miracle” that Lam was found alive.
“Congratulations on returning safely to your family,” officers wrote in a Facebook post.
The news sparked relief on social media, with many congratulating Lam’s family and thanking the search team for their efforts.
Local authorities had mobilized more than 150 people—including police officers, soldiers, and local volunteers—in the search for the young boy.
Proofreading by Uchechi Ojo, Sub-editor at Neptune Prime.
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