Miracle survival as girl, 15, comes ‘back from the dead’ after two weeks lost in Arctic wild

A major search in the north of Gydan peninsula found the schoolgirl alive but needing urgent medical care in a ‘grave’ condition.

She was flown by a search helicopter to a local hospital.

Despite suffering from exposure medics said ‘her vital organs are safe’ and ‘there is no threat to her life’.

'Her blood pressure and heart beat are stable,' said Eldar Faradjev, chief doctor of Tazovsky central hospital.

Late summer temperatures gyrated from 2C to 27C, but the nights were cold and  Svetlana is known to have become wet. 

She survived on wild cranberries, black and red currents, and cloudberries.

'The girl was discovered alive but she needs medical help,’ announced Elena Demyanova, an official with the Investigative Committee in Yamalo-Nenets autonomous region.

Svetlana - from a nomadic reindeer herding family - became lost on the way to find her brother at a camp some 7km from her home. 

She was at risk from brown bears and polar wolves, say experts.

'When she went missing, people were worried because the bears are roaming very close,’ said one source.

She was ‘constantly trying to find her way back’ but was unable to do so. 

Senior doctor Alexander Bukharov - an expert in polar survival - said of er being found: ‘It is miracle.’

Head of the search Vitaly Pavlyuchkov said: 'It helped that there was a lot of water in the tundra, so she had no problem drinking. 

'The Gydan tundra is soaked with water. 

'When you walk along the tundra in summer you are almost knee-deep.

'This water is very clean, much cleaner than in pipes. 

'She ate berries, and they are not completely ripe at this time.’

Svetlana is known to have injuries to her knees and legs - as if she was forced to crawl at some points. 

Her family searched for her in the remote territory and called in the emergency services after three days. 

She was eventually located by her uncle Ivan Evai - 15 days after going missing. 

Irina Yar, her aunt, said: 'It was a big shock and great joy for us. 

‘Her father and brothers were looking for her, using deer and three sledges (on the wet grassy tundra). 

‘We looked on foot closer to our camp but did not find any trace.

‘Then Ivan suddenly found her.

‘She was just walking towards him.’

Svetlana is now recovering in hospital in Tazovsky.