Durian hunt: Man not lost but fell and couldn't move

Mr Low Ah Kay being rescued after four days in the forest. He knew his way around the area as it was not his first trip there in his durian hunt.
Mr Low Ah Kay being rescued after four days in the forest. He knew his way around the area as it was not his first trip there in his durian hunt. PHOTO: POLICE

The man who went missing after going to pick durians in the forest did not lose his way but fell and could not get up, a family member said.

Mr Low Ah Kay, 57, was found four days after he went missing last Thursday. He had gone to a forested area near Kranji Expressway (KJE) to pick durians.

When he did not return home, his family put up notices on citizen journalism site Stomp and other social media sites, such as the Facebook page "Singapore Missing People".

Mr Low was found by police officers and search dogs on Monday at about noon. He was too weak to get up after the fall.

He was already unable to walk fast after suffering a mild stroke a few months ago, his family said.

According to his family, he was not lost.

In fact, he knew his way around the forested area because this was not Mr Low's first trip to the forest in his hunt for durians.

He even returned home with durians on his previous trips to the area, his family said.

Mr Low reportedly said he was not afraid during the four days because he knew the forest well, and he ate leaves and drank rainwater to survive.

His family was relieved Mr Low did not sustain any serious injuries. He was, however, dehydrated.

He was hospitalised in Ng Teng Fong Hospital and is due to undergo physiotherapy as his muscles were affected after he fell and remained in the same spot without moving for four days.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 12, 2017, with the headline Durian hunt: Man not lost but fell and couldn't move. Subscribe