Woman Survives 5 Days in Australian Outback with a Bottle of Wine
News News blog
48-year-old Lillian Ip survived five days in the dense bush in the Australian state of Victoria by eating sweets and drinking a single bottle of wine. She had set off on a short trip on Sunday but got lost after taking a wrong turn. Her vehicle eventually got stuck in the mud.
Wine as a Lifesaver
Although Lillian doesn't actually drink, she happened to have a bottle of wine in the car that she wanted to give to her mother. This bottle of wine became her lifeline over the next few days. "The only liquid Lillian had with her was a bottle of wine she had bought as a gift for her mother. That got her through the time," explained Sergeant Martin Torpey of the Wodonga Police Station.
Rescue at the Last Minute
After five nights, Lillian was finally discovered by rescue workers who flew over the area in a helicopter as part of a search operation. At this point, she had already given up hope: "I thought I was going to die there. My whole body shut down on Friday," she said. "I was about to give up." In her desperation, she even wrote a farewell letter to her family.
Smart Decision
Lillian was found about 60 kilometers from the nearest town. Due to health problems, she couldn't walk far and therefore stayed near her car. A decision that probably saved her life: "She used her common sense to stay with her car and not wander into the wilderness, which helped the police find her," Sergeant Torpey praised.
After her rescue, Lillian Ip was taken to the hospital for dehydration but after a short time has been able to return home to Melbourne. Her story impressively shows how important it is to keep a cool head in emergency situations - and that sometimes unusual things like a bottle of wine can be life-saving.
