Hiker Shouted For Help '10,000 Times' After Getting Lost On Remote Island

Craig Berg, a 70-year-old hiker who was missing on a Michigan island for over a week, recently shared how exactly he survived those harrowing days. During an interview with The Zealand Herald, he revealed that he shouted a three-word plea roughly '10,000 times'.

The call for help was: "Help! I'm lost!"

Last month, Berg went for a weeklong solo trip through Isle Royale National Park, which is a remote island located in Lake Superior near the Canadian border. His plan was to hike nearly seven miles a day and return home in time to run a 5K race with his son.

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But just four days into his trip, tragedy struck as he lost track of the trail and wandered directly into a dense, muddy swamp. He struggled and lost his balance, dropping his phone into the water. He had no map, no way to signal for help, and no quick way out.

While speaking to the media outlet, he recalled, "It was like quicksand." When he realised that he was trapped, he used all his survival skills and tried to stay safe.

He managed to find a small patch of elevated ground between a cluster of trees. As per the report, he pitched his bright-orange tent, hoping search teams might spot it from above.

"Man, I can't be walking around here anymore," he recalled, adding that he thought he was "going to die."

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He also decided to ration his remaining food and stay put to save his energy. Due to the low food supply, he ate only once every couple of days and drank treated swamp water with chlorine tablets to avoid dehydration.

"I knew I had to conserve my energy as much as possible," he said.

Berg also maintained a daily journal, heading each entry with the word "LOST" alongside his name, and every day shouted the same three words: "Help! I'm lost!", expecting someone would hear.

When he didn't return as scheduled, his family raised the alarm, and a search operation was launched, involving state troopers, park rangers, and search-and-rescue dogs.

Finally, he was located on September 12 when two kayakers travelling near the area heard a faint cry. They followed the sound and spotted Berg and immediately notified authorities. A US Coast Guard helicopter crew arrived shortly after, rescuing Berg from there.