Carlos Sanchez Ortiz De Salazar declared dead in 2010 found living in Tuscan nature reserve

A hermit, who was presumed dead after disappearing 20 years ago, has been found alive and living in a forest in Tuscany.

Carlos Sanchez Ortiz De Salazar, a doctor from Seville, abandoned civilisation in 1995, at the age of 26. He had suffered from severe depression. His was eventually declared dead in 2010.

Now two mushroom pickers say they came across his camp on the Cala Violina promontory in a nature reserve on the Maremma coast in northern Tuscany.

Carlos Sanchez Ortiz De Salazar abandoned civilisation in 1995. Here he is pictured in his old medical and education ID papers

Carlos Sanchez Ortiz De Salazar abandoned civilisation in 1995. Here he is pictured in his old medical and education ID papers

Two men came across his camp on the Cala Violina promontory in a nature reserve (pictured) on the Maremma coast in northern Tuscany, Italy

Two men came across his camp on the Cala Violina promontory in a nature reserve (pictured) on the Maremma coast in northern Tuscany, Italy

The hermit, a former psychiatrist, was living in a tent and told the foragers ‘I am Spanish, my name is Carlos and I have been here for twenty years.’ 

He showed them his passport but warned them he would leave now his hiding place had been found, they said.

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The mushroom pickers contacted a Spanish missing person’s association who managed to trace Carlos’ parents after a month.

His parents immediately flew to Italy to search for their son but a search has revealed that he has vanished again leaving no trace.

His mother said it was ‘very important’ to the parents to know that he was alive and that they were worried about his health.

‘We respect his wishes and his freedom but we will not rest until we have re-embraced him even for just a moment,’ she said. 'We just want to know that he’s OK.'

His sister Olga tweeted: 'Thank you for giving us hope that has given some relief in the terrible tragedy that we have been living.'

When found living in the forest (pictured), he showed the men his passport but warned them he would leave now his hiding place had been discovered

When found living in the forest (pictured), he showed the men his passport but warned them he would leave now his hiding place had been discovered

 

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