Man talks about his five days lost in the bush

A man who was found at Franz Josef in South Westland after five days missing says he got disorientated and didn't realise how long he had been gone.

Dylan Bliss, who was found by his cousin at 12.30am yesterday, told the Otago Daily Times from his hospital bed that he had been crawling through thick bush, weak from lack of food.

Constable Tony Le Sueur, of Whataroa police, yesterday told NZPA Mr Bliss had "self-inflicted injuries" when he was found and they were likely to have been caused not long after he disappeared from a barbecue last Saturday night.

Mr Bliss told the ODT he could only walk a couple of metres at a time towards the end of his ordeal because his stomach was hurting from lack of food.

"It felt like I got kicked in the guts. I laid down and crawled. I didn't have a drink until yesterday," he said.

Mr Le Sueur said Mr Bliss was confused and upset when found, but apart from that, he was remarkably well.

Mr Bliss admitted he felt stupid getting lost and that it happened when he tried to find a waterfall.

"I thought it was Wednesday and I find out it's Friday. I'm like, Jesus," he said.

"I was yelling when I was up there, but no-one could hear me. I used my tobacco to light a fire but it didn't work. I was flashing my torch at night because I could swear I could hear choppers."

Mr Bliss was found by his cousin, Beaudene Bliss, after eventually finding a track that led to the main road.

Beaudene drove Mr Bliss to the search and rescue base back at Franz Josef village where he drank 10 cups of tea.

- NZPA