Canadian man Anton Pilipa missing 5 years found in Amazon jungle

  • 09/02/2017
Canadian man Anton Pilipa missing 5 years found in Amazon jungle
Anton Pilipa and his brother (GoFundMe)

A Canadian man missing since 2012 has been discovered wandering through the Brazilian Amazon with nothing but the clothes on his back.

Anton Pilipa, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, fled Vancouver after an incident led to him being charged with assault and weapons offences.

The anti-poverty activist then set out on an epic quest to the National Library of Buenos Aires in Argentina.

Along the way he travelled across two continents and at least nine countries, including the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil - all without a passport and few possessions.

However when he arrived at the library he was turned away because he didn't have any identification. He then retraced his steps and headed into the depths of Brazil.

He walked 800km along through the Amazon jungle where he survived snakes, jaguars, spiders, and caimans. He ate out of trashcans and all his toenails dropped off.

He was finally spotted by a Brazilian cop who helped track down his family.

His brother says he is shocked to be reunited with Pilipa.

"I was stunned," Pilipa's brother Stefan told the Daily Mail. "I told myself that he was dead. Because that was the only thing I could come up with that explained his absence.

"But in my heart of hearts, I didn't think he could be."

Stefan said Pilipa's health had deteriorated from his journey.

"He looked pretty rough," he said after meeting his brother.

"The rigours of his journey took a toll on his body and face. And he had a lot more hair than last time I saw him."

Pilipa was returned to Canada, where he was arrested. He now faces court over his charges.

Newshub.