An elderly man who went missing near his home in regional Victoria has sadly died in hospital days after he was rescued from his crashed car.
John Bakkum, 85, had left the Harrietville Hotel, in Victoria’s High Country, with his wife at 8pm on Sunday night following their regular weekly meal at the venue.
Police immediately launched a search for him, miraculously finding him two days later down an embankment off the Omeo Highway in Mitta Mitta.
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Bakkum was taken to hospital but sadly has since died from his injuries.
Police will continue to investigate how his car left the road.
A huge search was mounted to find Bakkum earlier this week after he mysteriously vanished while leaving the pub with his wife.
Police initially called on the public for help locating 85-year-old Jacobus, or John, who vanished from Harrietville. Credit: Victoria PoliceJohn Bakkum’s car was spotted about 85km from his home. Credit: Suppllied
His wife usually walked the 500m home while he drives, but while she arrived at their house a short time later, her husband did not.
Bakkum was driving the couple’s 2007 silver Toyota Prado, sparking a major search amid concerns for his welfare due to his age and the unusual circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
His car was spotted on the Great Alpine Rd near Dinner Plain just after 9pm. Forty-five minutes later, it was seen in Omeo, about 85km from his home.
The 85-year-old and his vehicle were eventually found by a passerby about 11.30am on Tuesday, down an embankment just off the Omeo Highway in Mitta Mitta.
Police said the Prado appeared to have been involved in a single-vehicle crash.
Bakkum was initally taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
“Police would like to thank media and the public for their assistance,” Victoria Police said.
