After being lost and walking in the Bissaruni forest area in Kwakwani, Linden for six days, two forest officers were found alive and well.
Twenty-three-year-old Tofawa Thomas, a chockerman, and 43-year-old Garfield Cummings, a sawman, were missing since March 1; the News Room understands that they were found at around 20:30hrs on Monday but this information was not filtered to the relevant authorities until late Tuesday due to lack of telephone signal in the area.
The men, who are attached to the Coomaka concession, told members of the search team that after night fell and caught them in the forest, they decided to sleep but the following morning, they lost all sense of direction and could not make their way back to the camp.
And so, they decided to keep walking until they found their way out – six days later. The News Room understands that the men are now making their way out of Ituni and their relatives are relieved that they are alive.
Earlier, the Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn told reporters that the authorities were not immediately noitified that the men were missing.
Meanwhile, Thomas’ mother, Debra is elated that her eldest son has been found. She heaped praises on her God and said it was a “micracle.”
“They tell me that how they were walking and they got lost; me ain’t get all the details as yet,” a relieved Debra told the News Room on Tuesday night.
“I don’t even know how they meet out, my small son just call me and told me ‘mommy, me find me brother and we find Garfield and they coming out, they bringing them out.’
“I am thankful for everything though.”
Debra said the situation sent her in a state of distress because she feared the worst had happened to her son.
“I don’t know, like I woulda go crazy. Me pressure high. I just deh nervous, me skin like something biting, juking my skin.
I trembling all the time, all the time. I just going on me knees and pray…me and my sister them and God wuk a miracle because I didn’t know what woulda happen if I hear he died or something.”
Debra has three sons; she promised to cook Thomas’ favourite food when he returns home on Wednesday.
