A missing man has been spectacularly found from the world’s “ice kingdom” after being lost for nearly three months.
Yegor Krivoshapkin, was rescued from a Siberian outback in a minor miracle after those searching gave up thinking there was any hope of finding him alive.
The 45-year-old contracted frostbite whilst missing in the coldest populated region on earth about 190 miles from where he was last seen in Yakutia, Siberia’s “ice kingdom”.
The dad-of-three somehow escaped an encounter with brown bears or wolves which stalk the region.
Yegor disappeared in August, which is late summer in that part of Russia, and was found when temperatures had dropped to nearly -20C.
Some reports say the vanishing man stumbled across a consignment of tinned food dropped in the tundra in Soviet times as emergency supplies for lost herders.
His relatives had been told “no-one can survive in such conditions, you need to be realistic”, but never gave up hope, according to a Mirror Online report.
They hired a clairvoyant, Maria Kupriyanova, known as Sanaaya, who had predicted he would be found alive on an important family day.
“He was found on my grandson’s birthday,” said his sister Svetlana. “I am so grateful to her. Is it mysticism or reality?”
Yegor then suddenly appeared in a tent that reindeer breeder Rodion Golikov had left equipped with a stove and provisions when the man went missing in Verkhoyansk, one of the world’s coldest permanently populated districts.
It is far from where it was last reported to be seen, but a spot often used by herders.
It took a further five days from when he was found by a villager for a Polar Airlines helicopter to track him from the air and safely land to uplift him.
He was delivered to Batagay hospital.
He told Svetlana by phone that he had “switched off” and “lost his sense of reality”.
He had “slept under trees” and explained he had “blackouts” and felt “in oblivion” as he wandered alone.
Yegor previously went missing in July 2019 when he became disorientated by forest fires in Ust-Yana district.
After six weeks missing, rescuers gave up, believing he had been devoured by bears or wolves.
On this occasion, he was located in September some 75 miles from where he was last seen.
He admitted to being “in panic” after losing his way because of the smoke.
Yegor is now in hospital undergoing treatment for frostbite but doctors say his condition is stable and he is “able to walk”.
