6-year-old boy found in forest after missing for 5 days

A six-year-old boy, Dang Tien Lam, who was missing for five days has been found in a forest in Vietnam.

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.

He was found on Wednesday, August 21, by local farmers who heard a child’s cry while they were clearing a cinnamon field close to the forest.

Lam, who was found sitting in cassava bushes about 6km (3.7mi) from where he went missing, had become so weak he was unable to stand.

“I’m so tired, I can’t stand up, please carry me up,” Lam said, according to 52-year-old farmer Ly Van Nang.

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Lam survived on leaves, wild fruits and streamwater, according to BBC.

Pictures online showed 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.

Nang said: “The boy told me that when he got lost, he could not find his way home.

“And the more he walked, the more he could not find a way out.”

The police said it was a “miracle” that Lam was found alive.

“Congratulations on returning safely to your family,” officers wrote on 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 mobilised more than 150 people – including police officers, soldiers and local volunteers – in search of the young boy.

The Star

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Segun Ojo

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