A massive search effort involving police, home guard, and local residents successfully located a missing 78-year-old man in Blekinge after more than two days. The man, who got stuck on a gravel road, was found near his car by motorcycle police and taken to the hospital. The community's strong sense of unity and determination played a crucial role in the search.
Community Unites in Search for Missing 78-Year-Old in Blekinge
Community Unites in Search for Missing 78-Year-Old in Blekinge
Police, the home guard, and Missing People searched for the missing 78-year-old on Blekinge's small forest roads for over two days. Meanwhile, neighbors took it upon themselves to search tirelessly.
"We tried to think like he would," says neighbor Monica.
On Tuesday morning, the man drove his partner to Ronneby Airport in Kallinge, Blekinge. After saying goodbye, he began driving back home to Tingsryd Municipality in Småland. However, for some reason, he did not take the direct route.
After a while, he got stuck in a pothole on the gravel road. He first called his partner to explain what happened, then alerted the police, but the call was cut off before he could describe his location.
A large search operation was launched for the man. Both the police, home guard, and Missing People were involved in the official search. Simultaneously, more than one neighbor went out to search on their own. The engagement and community cooperation are strong here, many say. Friends and acquaintances tried to understand how the man drove after leaving the departure hall, the last known location.
"We tried to think like he would," says neighbor Monica.
She has known the 78-year-old and his family for a long time.
"My husband was out searching both Tuesday and Wednesday, and I joined on Wednesday. Then we stayed home and looked for information in the newspapers.
"We all know each other here, and there is a lot of contact between neighbors: Has anyone heard anything? Everyone has been worried."
Neighbors Took to the Woods
The partner had both changed planes in Stockholm and landed at the final destination when she realized what had happened. She returned to Blekinge on the next available flight.
In the areas around Tving, the search continued. Several neighbors recount how they spent hour after hour combing the small forest roads. But since they didn't know which route the 78-year-old had taken home, many searched in the wrong place.
However, there was no doubt about the strong engagement and community spirit.
"Of course, we were worried. Everyone was worried," says Monica.
By Thursday afternoon, the concern had grown further. More than two days without food and water. Could they really hope that the 78-year-old had survived?
Then came the fantastic news: He was found.
Two motorcycle police officers found him near his car on a forest road near Alnaryd in central Blekinge.
"He called for help. When we arrived, he was shouting for help," says one of them, Patric Tenggren, to SVT Nyheter Blekinge.
An ambulance was called to the narrow forest road and took the man to the hospital in Karlskrona, where he remains.
The police's view is that the man stayed close to his car the entire time.
"Now the operation will be evaluated, of course," says spokesperson Thomas Johansson.
The neighbors in Tingsryd can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"I couldn't believe it when we found out. We were so impressed that he had made it," says neighbor Monica.