A 7-year-old child who had been missing for five days was found alive in Matusadona National Park in northern Zimbabwe. The child was reported missing on December 27 and a joint search operation involving park rangers, police officers, and community members was launched. Heavy rainfall hindered the search effort until a breakthrough was made when human footprints were discovered in the park on December 30. The child was eventually found on December 31, having walked 49 kilometers (30 miles) from his village to the point of his rescue.
The child had survived on wild fruits and sourced water from underground streams by digging holes along dry river banks, a technique commonly used in drought-prone areas. He was taken to a local clinic for preliminary examinations and later transferred to a hospital for further medical evaluations.
The child’s rescue was met with widespread relief and gratitude, with Mutsa Murombedzi, a member of the Zimbabwean Parliament, describing him as “frail” when rescued and commending the efforts of those involved in the search operation.
