The bizarre way searchers found Aussie hiker lost in rugged Taiwanese mountains for seven days leading to a miracle rescue

By ASHLEY NICKEL, NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 14:42, 17 May 2026 | Updated: 14:42, 17 May 2026 An Australian man has been rescued after a seven-day search of a remote Taiwanese mountain region after searchers heard his saxophone. Matthew, 50, disappeared after going on a hike to clear his head following an argument with his wife on May 8. His relatives alerted local authorities on May 10 after he failed to return home or answer any calls. Matthew had been hiking in a cliff area in the eastern Coastal Mountain Range near Taitung, on Taiwan's southeast coast. It's understood he went down into a ravine to find water but became stuck when he realised the slope was too steep to climb out of. Oddly, Matthew brought his saxophone on the hike but didn't have his phone, hiking shoes or food. The instrument came in handy on Tuesday, May 12, when he was able to play it to alert searchers of his whereabouts. A drone found the Aussie sheltering in a cave. 'I spent a lot of time praying. I read my Bible, I can sing, I play music,' he said. Matthew (pictured with his wife left and rescuers) had gone on a hike after an argument but got trapped in a steep ravine where he remained for seven days Matthew didn't have his phone but was able to alert authorities to his position in a cave by playing his saxophone (above) The Taitung County Fire Bureau was initially unable to reach Matthew due to the unstable, steep terrain and poor weather conditions. Rescuers used knives to clear a route to the Australian hiker. They also used drones to send him supplies while he waited for rescue. The mission took over 100 hours to complete by the expert crew.  'Drones were used to airdrop food and supplies to Matthew while rescue teams advanced on foot from two directions,' the Taitung County Fire Bureau told the Taipei Times. 'Rescuers reached Matthew on Thursday evening but rain, dense vegetation and dangerous terrain forced them to camp overnight before escorting him down the mountain.' Matthew was finally rescued and reunited with his tearful wife on Friday, May 15. 'It's a miracle. Thank you, Taiwan,' he told reporters. Matthew had gone to the area on his motorbike which his wife found abandoned near the trail Matthew hid in a cave until he was spotted by a drone (above) on May 12 The Aussie being treated by a paramedics after his rescue He suffered no serious injuries during his seven-day ordeal. Local authorities said recent rain had likely provided Matthew with enough drinking water while the cave safely sheltered him from the elements, preventing hypothermia. A total of 33 rescue vehicles and 144 people helped in the search to find the Aussie. Matthew's friend and pastor, Kao Yung-hsu, said the keen hiker had previously volunteered in disaster relief work. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it had provided consular assistance to an Australian in Taiwan but couldn't share further details due to its privacy obligations. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.