Gach Top: 'Miracle' as man missing in outback for a week found safe in Northern Territory

The discovery of a father who had been lost in the outback for a week has been hailed as a “miracle” by his family.

Gach Top, 26, has been found dehydrated but safe in the Northern Territory, two days after a major search and rescue operation was called off.

His family never gave up, continuing to look for the father before he was eventually located about 45 kilometres west of Alice Springs on Monday night.

Police said he had been taken to hospital for assessment, thanking the public for their assistance.

Mr Top disappeared near his hometown of Alice Springs on July 28.

His car was found at nearby John Flynn’s Grave Historical Reserve the next day, sparking concerns for his welfare.

A massive search operation was launched, including ATVs, drones and aerial support covering more than 500 square kilometres of terrain.

Police suspended the search on Saturday following five days of scouring the area west of Alice Springs.

However Mr Top’s family members and local volunteers continued to look before the young father was reportedly spotted walking barefoot near Jay Creek outstation by the Aboriginal homeland’s residents on Monday night.

Police said Mr Top was found safe near Jay Creek about 45km from Alice Springs, close to where items of his clothing had been found earlier.

Tamara Campbell, who lives at the outstation, told ABC she noticed a “figure walking towards the bush” late on Monday.

Mr Top’s family had kept in contact with the outstation during their search.

“I left my number with one of the ladies ... and when we were going back to (Alice Springs) she called me as soon as we got service,” Mr Top’s sister Nyaluak told ABC.

“She was like ‘I found your brother’ … it’s a miracle.”

Mr Top’s father David Kong on Tuesday said his son had been found “well and good” and was now in hospital.

“He’s all right … it’s good news for the whole community,” he told NT News.

The search and rescue operation at its peak involved more than 50 emergency services personnel and rangers.

They searched on foot, in vehicles and with police dogs and drones along with a helicopter and a jet aircraft deployed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, police said.