Anglers find naked fugitive in a tree while putting out crab pots

DARWIN, AUSTRALIA—A pair of anglers in search of crabs in a waterway outside of the Australian city of Darwin found a little more than they were searching for when a naked man in a tree clinging to branches called out to them for help.

According to several news sources, Cam Faust and Kevin Joiner were laying crab traps on Jan. 3 in a creek known to have a lot of crocodiles when they discovered the naked man covered in cuts calling for help in the mangroves. The swamps around Darwin have been labelled ‘crocodile heaven’ because the murky water and poor light. Giant saltwater crocs also breed and lay eggs there.

The two friends told The Daily Mail they were hesitant to stop and help the man due to his strange appearance but ultimately pulled up in their boat to assist. Joiner and Faust told news outlets the man told them he had been there for four days and had been living on snails.

The anglers told news outlets they tried to figure out why the man was naked and how he ended up there but said he was talking gibberish. The men loaned the rescuee a pair of shorts and the trio shared a beer as they brought him back to shore. They then called an ambulance and he was taken to a hospital.

As it turned out, the man was Luke Voskresensky, who was wanted by authorities for allegedly breaching bail over an armed robbery. Voskresensky had allegedly been on the run for days after allegedly cutting his ankle bracelet and evading police. The NT News reported the man was placed into custody at the hospital.