Missing, injured Oregon hiker ate centipedes to survive on a mountain

London, October 21 : An Oregon hiker rescued from a mountain, where he survived for five days with a broken ankle, has revealed that he ate centipedes, ants and even a poisonous wolf spider to survive.

Derek Mamoyac, 27, fell badly while descending 12,300-ft Mount Adams in Washington state on October 12.

It was supposed to be a one-day trip, and he had not informed his family about it.

When he failed to turn up for work the following morning, his family reported him missing.

Mamoyac tried descending the mountain by crawling on his knees, but he had to stop when it became too painful.

He revealed that he drank water from creeks.

He also revealed that his food ran out early in the week, compelling him to turn to insects.

"He said he ate just whatever kind of protein he could scrounge up," the Telegraph quoted his father, Steve, as saying.

"He told us dying was never an option. In his mind, it was just a matter of how inconvenient this was going to be," Steve added.

Rescue workers found Mamoyac at an altitude of just under 6,000 feet on Friday afternoon, with the aid of a rescue dog.

According to them, he was dehydrated and had swollen legs.

Family members who spoke with Mamoyac briefly by phone said that he sounded well.

"We get happy endings, but not at the end of a five-day search," said Greg Varney, a member of the rescue team which found him.

ANI