When Alex started work one day in early 2023, he didn't realise that by the end of his shift his actions would result in the safe rescue of two Australians, who were stranded in the Japanese mountains.
Japan is a collection of islands, its terrain is rugged and mountainous, covered by volcanic peaks and snow-capped summits. With a booming hiking culture, Japan is a destination of choice for the world's skiers and outdoor sports devotees.
In 2022 alone, 3,506 people were stranded in the mountains in Japan, with insufficient equipment or poor planning the cause of many of these incidents, of which some have resulted in deaths.
For Alex, the after-hours duty officer at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo, it was a day like any other when he received the call that two young Australian hikers were stuck on one of Japan's northern mountains.
Their hiking trip had taken an ominous turn when one of the group was injured, rendering them unable to move.
"They had no water or food, and their mobile phone batteries were low," Alex said, recalling the incident.
"It was late in the evening, and the uninjured hiker couldn't leave their friend to seek help due to the darkness in the mountains, which would have made it easy for them to get lost or worse.
"Luckily, one of the two was able to send a message to their partner in Australia, who contacted police. The police contacted Interpol, who in turn contacted the Consular Emergency Centre."
As the light steadily faded, temperatures dropped, heightening the sense of urgency when it came to contacting the Australians.
"They could not speak Japanese, and their phones were not responding" Alex said.
"I called the local Japanese police to request a search and rescue."
Alex continued to work throughout the night, providing police with GPS coordinates for the hikers, as well as information about their appearance, clothing and overall general condition.
While he liaised with police, the Consular Emergency Centre supported him, and sent updates on his behalf, allowing Alex to focus on the task at hand.
As dawn broke, police contacted Alex with an update.
"It was a big relief to hear that both Aussies had been rescued," Alex said. "The injured hiker was medivaced to a nearby hospital for treatment."
While the young hikers had this traumatic experience, they did have the wisdom of taking out travel insurance for their trip.
"This case reminds me of the importance of travel insurance," Alex said.
"Being evacuated to hospital via helicopter could clear out your savings if you don't have travel insurance!
With the Australians safely returned home, Alex reflected on this complex consular case.
"It was rewarding to contribute to the rescue efforts, even if I did stay up all night working on this case.
"Cases like this really bring home the value of consular work, and just how significantly our jobs can help those in need," Alex said.
"Our work does make a difference."
Image credit: Adobe Stock
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