Zavros family rescued from SA outback after being stranded for five days

The Zavros family has been rescued by a police helicopter from the Simpson Desert. 

Ori and Linsey, and their two children Zoe and Zane, became stuck in the desert last Friday and spent five days stranded after the roads were flooded by torrential rain. 

“We feel safe now,” Mr. Zavros said.

“It’s been emotional, a bit of a rollercoaster but we got through it.”

The family has been on a camping trip around Australia in their customised camper van for the past year. 

They activated their emergency beacon last Friday morning when things took a turn for the worse. 

“We were concerned that we might have got stuck there for a few weeks, worried about the heat,” Mr. Zavros said, as temperatures began to rise above 40 degrees Celsius. 

“After the first couple of days, we sort of realised that we wanted to get out of there pretty quick.”

“Thankful that it’s over now.

Mr. Zavros said they kept their spirits up by eating icy poles and watching Bluey DVDs. 

“We had a daily ritual where we would go for a walk in the morning and then have an icy pole at lunchtime and then go for walk in the afternoon when we could,” he said.

Ms. Zavros said it had been an “adventure”.

“I don’t regret it, it was an adventure — I wouldn’t do it again,” she said.

“Little mistakes that we made that we wish we didn’t make but we wouldn’t change it, it’s shaped our trip,” Mr. Zavros said.

The couple said they would now have to find a way back to Perth.

“Go to Perth for Christmas and then once the truck has been recovered we will come back out and keep going,” Mr. Zavros said.

“I think we will crack a cold beer and a champagne.”

Source: ABC News