Missing driller found in remote Pilbara desert

January 19, 2010

A driller who has been missing since Monday morning has been found.

An aerial search for the 39-year-old Tom Price man got under way in the Pilbara region today and he was found 10km north-east of where he was last seen.

The missing man was a member of an exploratory drilling team near Hamersley Gorge, and was last seen about 8am on Monday when he set off on a six kilometre walk to collect his truck, police said.

The rest of the drill team, based five kilometres south of the turnoff to the Hamersley Gorge, became concerned about the man when he did not return later that day.

A land-based search failed to find the man yesterday and a helicopter and fixed wing aircraft joined the search effort today.

The man was not injured, but "quite thirsty" [Really? No s hit?], police said.

A chopper is due to collect him shortly.