American Journalist Rescued After Six Days Stranded in Norway

An American climate journalist, Alec Luhn, was rescued after surviving six days alone in Norway’s remote Folgefonna National Park. The Norwegian Red Cross found him on August 6 and flew him to safety by helicopter.

Luhn, 38, who lives in London, started a solo hike to see the Breidablikkbrea glacier on July 31. On the first day, he slipped and fell down a steep mountainside. He suffered several serious injuries, including broken vertebrae, a shattered femur, and fractures in his pelvis.

The fall also cost him his phone, water, and most of his supplies. Barely able to move, he created a shelter with a tent pole and his rain jacket and used his sleeping bag for warmth. Without water for the first two days, he experienced severe dehydration. In desperation, he drank his own urine and even popped a blister on his hand for moisture. When rain finally came, he collected and drank every drop, later calling it "the best thing I ever tasted."

Back in England, his wife became worried when he didn’t come back as expected on August 4 and informed Norwegian authorities. Rescue efforts faced challenges due to bad weather, but search teams continued until they finally found him on August 6. Luhn was conscious but severely injured and frostbitten.

He is currently in the hospital in Bergen. Doctors expect him to fully recover after rehabilitation. When he saw his wife again, his first request was for pens and paper to write about his experience.

Thinking back on what happened, Luhn said being trapped allowed him to reflect on his regrets and what matters most. His wife, feeling both relieved and emotional, smiled and said he won't be allowed to hike alone again.