85-year-old man missing after leaving pub, found crashed, later dies
Consensus Summary
An 85-year-old man named Jacobus 'John' Bakkum went missing after leaving the Harrietville Hotel with his wife on Sunday night. His car, a 2007 Toyota Prado, was spotted driving in the wrong direction along the Great Alpine Road near Dinner Plain and later in Omeo, about 85 kilometres from his home. After nearly two days, Bakkum was found alive down an embankment off the Omeo Highway in Mitta Mitta at around 11.30am on Tuesday. He was rescued and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries but later died. The Bakkums had lived in Harrietville since the 1970s, with John arriving in 1971, and he was known for his extensive community involvement, including roles as postmaster and recognition for his work in 2021. Police continue to investigate the crash, and the family has expressed gratitude for the assistance during the search.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Jacobus 'John' Bakkum, 85, disappeared after leaving the Harrietville Hotel with his wife on Sunday night around 8pm
- His car, a 2007 silver Toyota Prado, was spotted on the Great Alpine Road near Dinner Plain just after 9pm
- His car was later seen in Omeo, about 85 kilometres from his home
- Bakkum was found alive down an embankment off the Omeo Highway in Mitta Mitta at approximately 11.30am on Tuesday
- He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after the rescue
- Bakkum’s wife walked 500m home from the hotel while he drove
- The Bakkums moved to Harrietville in the 1970s, with John arriving in 1971
- John Bakkum was recognized by the Alpine Shire for his community work in 2021
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- John Bakkum died in a Melbourne hospital on Thursday, two days after being rescued
- He was an active member of the Harrietville community, holding roles such as postmaster and running the town’s general store
- He helped establish a local building company that constructed homes and public buildings in the region
- Police initiated a high-angle rescue to recover Bakkum on Tuesday morning
- The search for Bakkum involved a major operation due to his age and the unusual circumstances of his disappearance
- His car was first spotted on the Great Alpine Road near Dinner Plain just after 9pm, then again in Omeo 45 minutes later
- The 2007 Toyota Prado appeared to have been involved in a single-vehicle crash
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- ABC states Bakkum died in hospital on Thursday, while 7NEWS does not explicitly mention the day of his death but confirms he died after being rescued
- ABC mentions Bakkum was found trapped in his car which had crashed down an embankment, while 7NEWS describes him as found down an embankment without specifying if the car was trapped
Source Articles
Man who disappeared in Victorian High Country dies days after rescue
An elderly man who was missing for two days after visiting a High Country pub with his wife is being remembered for his volunteering efforts in the community following his death.
Missing Victorian man John Bakkum, 85, found alive down embankment in Mitta Mitta, northeast Victoria
A passerby found the elderly man and his vehicle.
Missing elderly man John Bakkum sadly dies in hospital after being rescued from Omeo Highway
A frantic two-day search operation was launched for John Bakkum after he vanished from a pub in Victoria’s High Country.
Missing 85-year-old Harrietville man's car seen driving through Omeo
Police release new footage of a vehicle driving into Omeo in their ongoing search for 85-year-old Jacobus "John" Bakkum.
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