Robert Bogucki
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Robert Bogucki (born 1966) is an American firefighter from Alaska notable for having survived 43 days lost in Western Australia's Great Sandy Desert before being rescued.[1]
Lost
[edit]The Sandfire Roadhouse is 1,900 kilometres (1,200 mi) north of Perth in Western Australia. It is on the Great Northern Highway between Port Hedland and Broome, 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the coast. Bogucki left the roadhouse on 11 July 1999. He intended to ride his bike across the Great Sandy Desert to Fitzroy Crossing. Whilst police called off the initial search for Bogucki after 12 days, family members hired specialist trackers to continue the search and soon found fresh evidence that Bogucki had survived at least that long.[2]
Found
[edit]Bogucki was found by a Channel Nine news helicopter on 23 August 1999 in Western Australia's Edgar Ranges, 400 kilometres (250 mi) away from where he set off.[3] Bogucki's subsequent treatment by the Channel Nine crew raised questions as to the extent to which they had ignored his well-being in order to secure an exclusive news story. Channel Nine's crew filmed an interview with Bogucki on the spot, then flew him back to Broome (instead of the nearby search camp).[4] With there only being four seats in the helicopter, West Australian photographer Robert Duncan was left behind with a bottle of water and an EPIRB.[5][6] After going without food for about six weeks and water for twelve days, Bogucki had lost 30 kilograms (66 lb) during the ordeal.[7] He found water by digging and straining mud, but also drank from stagnant pools. Later he took to eating flowers and plants. Medical staff at Broome Hospital said his physical condition was "remarkable".[3]
Dramatisation & awards
[edit]Bogucki's story and the search for him were made into an episode of the three-part ABC series Miracles, entitled "Miracle in the Desert".[7]
Robert Duncan, West Australian photographer, won the 1999 Daily News Centenary Prize WA Media Awards[8] (informally known as the Gold Award, or the WA Journalist of the Year) for his involvement, photos and coverage of the search.
References
[edit]- ^ Wendy Lewis (2007). See Australia and Die: Tales Of Misadventure Down Under (Paperback). New Holland. ISBN 978-1-74110-583-4.
- ^ "Lost in the Desert" (PDF). 1st Special Response Group. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2008-05-11. Retrieved 2008-05-30.
- ^ a b "American found after outback odyssey". BBC News. 1999-08-23. Archived from the original on 2008-10-02. Retrieved 2008-05-30.
- ^ mubd1234's Aussie Media Archive (2015-01-15). Media Watch - Robert Bogucki and the Australian Media Frenzy - 30 August 1999 - with Richard Ackland. Retrieved 2024-08-10 – via YouTube.
{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "A Current Affair Catch Their Bogucki-man". MediaWatch. ABC.net.au. 1999-08-30. Archived from the original on 2021-05-07. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
- ^ Lowth, Adrienne (1999-08-24). "Channel Nine under fire over Bogucki actions". ABC.net.au. Archived from the original on 2008-10-01. Retrieved 2008-05-30.
- ^ a b Steve Beck. "Miracles". ABC Commercial. Archived from the original on 2020-09-28. Retrieved 2020-09-07.
- ^ "1999 | WA Media Awards |". www.wamediaawards.com.au. Archived from the original on 2017-01-16. Retrieved 2017-01-15.