Benedict Allen during his expedition to Papua New Guinea
The British explorer who vanished in Papua New Guinea has apologised for worrying his family and friends after he was rescued alive and in ‘good spirits’.
Benedict Allen, 57, sent a Whatsapp message to relatives after being flown out of dense jungle by helicopter.
He is being treated for fever and malaria but is in good spirits.
His sister Katie Pestille, 61, said: ‘I told everyone I was cross with him but that melted away when I saw his message., 61,
‘He said he’s very sorry for causing us such worry over the last few days.
‘He’s had malaria for many years so that is nothing new to him.
‘It lies dormant but something must have triggered it during his latest adventure.’
Allen told Katie and her husband Paul, 63, he would love to see them when he flies into Heathrow next week.
The intrepid explorer, wife Lenka, 35, and their three children are due to spend Christmas with Mrs Pestille and her husband at their home in Frome, Somerset.
Adventure: Benedict Allen (standing in the back) in Papua New Guinea with the BBC’s Frank Gardner (front) last year
Mrs Pestille said: ‘It looks like they are still coming now that he’s been found and all is well.
‘We are all so relieved. His message said how much he missed us all and that he was looking forward to seeing us all soon.’
Benedict Allen, 57, was spotted by tribal chiefs near an airstrip in Papua New Guinea’s remote Enga province after failing to return from his solo mission to find the ‘last people on the planet’ who have no contact with the outside world.
Mr Allen was then tracked down to Mount Hagen, one of the most remote mountains in the world, and is now recovering from a fever, suspected to be malaria.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘I was seriously worried I wouldn’t get out of this one.’
After hearing that the father-of-three had been seen at last, his 35-year-old wife Lenka said: ‘It is such a relief. I’m so happy, it’s amazing.’
Mr Allen has been in the tropical rainforest for three weeks surviving on his wits
Earlier this week the wife of a British explorer who has vanished searching for a remote tribe says their three children keep asking: ‘When’s Daddy coming home?’
Mr Allen sparked panic when he failed to return from the Papua New Guinea jungle following a solo expedition to find the ‘last people on the planet’ who have no contact with the outside world.
His family said there were extremely stressed because he did not start his journey home on Sunday as planned. They added they were also ‘very cross’ with the 57-year-old for refusing to take a phone or GPS tracking device.
Friends were planning to scramble a helicopter to search for Mr Allen amid fears he may have got lost, been bitten by a snake, otherwise been injured or contracted malaria, which he has suffered from in the past.