Overview

• Community volunteers from the South Sudanese community and Gach Top’s family found him alive on August 4 near Jay Creek outstation, about 30 kilometres west of Alice Springs.
• NT Police and multiple emergency services had scoured more than 500 square kilometres of desert from July 29 until suspending the official search on August 2 and referring the case to the Southern Crime Division.
• Searchers faced sub-zero nighttime temperatures and rugged terrain along Larapinta Drive, marking covered areas to avoid retracing their steps.
• After his rescue, Gach Top was taken to Alice Springs Hospital for medical assessment and authorities reported no further welfare concerns.
• His family described the outcome as a “miracle” and thanked Indigenous residents and volunteers whose efforts carried on beyond official operations.