A search and rescue team says a man who was alone in the wilderness survived after carving “HELP” onto a rock. According to multiple media reports, 39-year-old Andrew Barber was first reported missing in British Columbia’s Cariboo region on July 31. It took nine days before he was found by a helicopter flying overhead.
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Barber is said to have above-average knowledge of the outdoors, but officials say he was rescued just in time, as he appeared in poor health from the ordeal.
The BBC reports that Barber’s truck broke down near McLeese Lake, which is nearly 400 miles north of Vancouver. While waiting for help, Barber built himself a shelter made of sticks and mud and eventually spent time carving “HELP” onto a rock. He also outlined “SOS” in the mud in hopes of an air rescue, which finally came from the Quesnel Search and Rescue team in Canada, which posted about the incident.
After over a week in the wilderness, our subject has been located alive during today’s search from the air. This outcome…
Posted by Quesnel Search & Rescue on Friday, August 8, 2025
“Quesnel Search and Rescue is on call 24/7, 365 days a year — and our entire team is made up of dedicated volunteers who give their time, skills, and heart to help those in need,” they wrote on Facebook. They go on to say it was a team effort from other local authorities RCMP, PEP Air, and BC Emergency Health Services.
While he had a lack of food, Barber was able to drink from a nearby body of water, but it was said to be dirty. His shelter was about three miles from his truck.
Survival Tips
The U.S. Forest Service offers these tips for dealing with getting lost in a wilderness area:
Stop:
- As soon as you realize you may be lost: stop, stay calm, stay put. Panic is your greatest enemy.
Think:
- Go over in your mind how you got to where you are. What landmarks should you be able to see? Do not move at all until you have a specific reason to take a step.
Observe:
- Get out your compass and determine the directions based on where you are standing. Do not walk aimlessly.
- If you are on a trail, stay on it. All trails are marked with signs (where intersections meet) and with diamond blazers or markers. However, signs are sometimes vandalized or stolen.
- As a very last resort, follow a drainage or stream downhill. This is often a difficult path but could lead to a trail or road. Again, this could be very dangerous.
Plan:
- Based on your thinking and observations, come up with some possible plans, think them through then act on one of them.
- If you are not very, very confident in the route, then it’s always better to stay put.
- If it’s nightfall, you are injured or you are near exhaustion, stay in place.
