An Australian man who stormed off into the mountains after a fight with his wife ended up lost for a week on a steep cliff, surviving on stream water and relying on his saxophone to help rescuers find him.

Matthew, a 50-year-old Australian tourist, was visiting Donghe Township in Taitung County, Taiwan, with his wife on May 9 when the couple had an argument. Frustrated, he grabbed his saxophone and walked barefoot into the mountainous forest to calm down.

He climbed down a steep rocky cliff into a gorge in search of drinking water but soon realized he could not climb back up due to the dangerous slope. For the next seven days, Matthew was trapped with no food, no phone, and only stream water to drink. He repeatedly played his saxophone, hoping someone would hear the sound and come to his rescue.

On May 11, authorities received a report of a missing foreign tourist. The Taitung County Fire Department immediately launched a large-scale search operation involving firefighters, volunteers, and forestry personnel.

On May 12, a drone spotted Matthew sheltering in a cave near a stream beside a sheer cliff. Heavy rainfall in the following days caused landslides, making rescue efforts extremely difficult and ruling out helicopter evacuation. Drones were used to drop food and supplies to him while ground teams approached from different directions.

Rescuers finally reached Matthew on May 14 but had to camp overnight due to the weather before guiding him down the mountain on May 15.

Matthew was emotional upon reaching safety, calling his survival “a real miracle” and thanking the rescue team with tears in his eyes.

The sound of his saxophone proved crucial. When rescuers called out, Matthew responded by playing his instrument, helping them pinpoint his exact location.

Officials noted that the cave provided him essential shelter from wind and rain, preventing hypothermia. A total of 144 personnel and 33 vehicles were involved in the week-long rescue operation.

Matthew’s friend, Kao Yung-hsu, said the man enjoys solo hiking. After reuniting with his wife, Matthew has no plans to wander into the mountains alone again.