An Australian man lost in the mountains of Taiwan was dramatically rescued after emergency crews followed the sound of his saxophone.
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Rescuers tracked the music through the remote terrain, eventually leading them to the stranded hiker.
The man, identified only as Matthew, was found on Friday, May 15, after disappearing for a week near Taitung on the country's eastern coast.
Taiwan Rescue Crews Locate Missing Hiker Through Saxophone Music
Matthew, 50, reportedly survived in the wilderness without food, proper hiking shoes, or electronic devices.
According to local reports, he survived by drinking rainwater and sheltering inside a cave while rescue crews searched for him.
The hiker later told local media that he had wandered into the mountains after arguing with his wife.
The Taitung County Fire Bureau launched a major search operation after receiving reports that a foreign national had gone missing in the mountains of Donghe Township.
Crews used drones during the search, though poor weather, steep terrain, and collapsed trails complicated rescue efforts.
At one point, Matthew began playing his saxophone in the hope someone would hear him.
The sound ultimately guided rescuers directly to his location.
"It's a miracle. Thank you Taiwan," he told the Taipei Times.
Hiker Survived by Drinking Rainwater and Sheltering in Cave
Rescuers later explained that the sound of the saxophone allowed them to narrow down Matthew's position in the mountains.
"It worked like a whistle," Matthew's friend, Kao Yung-hsu, said.
Kao added that Matthew frequently hikes alone and has volunteered in disaster relief work across remote indigenous communities.
Reports state the Australian hiker became stranded after climbing down into a ravine in search of water near a cliffside area.
Once there, he reportedly found the terrain too steep to climb back out and lost the trail completely.
After locating him, rescuers used drones to drop food and supplies while ground teams fought through difficult conditions to reach him on foot.
Crews finally reached Matthew on Thursday evening, though dangerous weather forced them to camp overnight before escorting him safely down the mountain the following day.
According to the fire bureau, the rescue operation involved 33 vehicles and 144 personnel.
Officials also noted that recent rainfall likely helped Matthew survive by providing access to water, while the cave protected him from the elements and possible hypothermia.
