Boy 7, save by kangaroo after lost in the wilderness

• NeverSayGoodBye

  8 Sep 13, 14:49

  A seven-year-old boy has claimed that a real-life Bush Kangaroo saved him when he went missing in the Australian bush last weekend.

   

  Simon Kruger became lost when he followed a wallaby into trees at the vast Deep Creek Conservation Park near Adelaide, South Australia, as his family ate lunch nearby.

   

  But despite not being dressed for a night in the wilderness, Simon survived almost 24 hours in the bush thanks to the help of a friendly kangaroo who approached him as he picked flowers for his mother and fell asleep next to him to keep him warm.

   

  

  

   

  

  Simon's father Etienne Kruger told Seven Network: 'The kangaroo came closer to him and ate the flowers from him and then the kangaroo fell asleep next to him.

   

  'I think god sent a kangaroo to keep him warm.'

   

  A search party, including two helicopters, attempted to find Simon throughout the night with rescuers using parachute flares in a bid to find him.

   

  But he was eventually spotted by one of the helicopters around 500 metres from where he had originally gone missing and was winched to safety.

   

  The youngster suffered just minor injuries from his ordeal and was reunited with his relieved family.

  His mother, Linda, said: 'I think it was a miracle, when I smell his jacket, it's kangaroo - bush and kangaroo.' 

   

   

  Things could have been far worse for Simon, with temperatures at the park dipping to just 6C during the night.

   

  It was lucky for rescuers that he remained so close to where he went missing too, the park is 45 square kilometres of thick bushland.

  Simon's father Etienne told the Daily Telegraph in Australia that his son is recovering well from the ordeal.

   

  Australia is home to an estimated 58 million kangaroos.

   

  

   

  Nature spotting: The family had been having a picnic at this spot on Saturday afternoon when the youngster followed a wallaby into the bush
  
  

   

  Search: Rescuers sent up two helicopters in a bid to find the boy, but he wasn't found until nearly 24 hours after he went missing
  
  

  Safe: Simon was winched to safety and reunited with his relieved family on Sunday