Missing British hiker shows up as family is making public plea for help finding him

An 80-year-old hiker was missing for days — then showed up at a news conference about his disappearance.

Harry Harvey went hiking during a hailstorm in England and got separated from his walking partner, CNN reported. The Royal Air Force and rescuers spent days searching for him, the news outlet reported.

“I just got separated by getting caught in a really heavy hailstorm, a howling gale of wind,” Harvey told BBC. “By the time I got my kit on it was getting really dark, so I missed what I would say was a turning. I had a plan B straight away, find somewhere safe to camp, put my tent up, keep warm, and that was it.”

While Harvey tried to survive in an “absolutely desolate” area, his family worried and worked with rescue officials to search for him, according to the BBC.

Police started to fear he was dead, The Guardian reported. His family planned to “appeal for members of the public to help” find Harvey at a news conference, the news outlet reported.

The family had better luck, though. Harvey showed up at the news conference and had an emotional reunion with his family.

A wildlife photographer saw Harvey and contacted rescuers, CNN reported. His family ran to embrace him in an emotional reunion, according to The Guardian.

“I was out taking photographs of grouse and instead of grouse I found Harry,” Annette Pyrah, the photographer who found Harvey, told the BBC. “I just looked up at the fell and this gentleman waved at me. I got out of my car and I said, ‘Are you Harry? Have you been missing for three days?’ And he said yes. And I started crying.”