American tourist found after five years ‘missing’ in Australia.
AN American tourist who vanished from northern Australia five years ago, with his kayak found submerged near a beach, has been discovered alive by police investigating a burglary.
Ken Rodman was on a tourist visa when he was reported missing in December 2010.
A friend believed he was heading to a beach at Mossman in Far North Queensland and a month later his green kayak washed up at Wangetti Beach.
Rodman, now 60, was never heard from again.
However police received reports of numerous sightings and believed he was hiding in the country.
Rodman’s bid to live out his days in Queensland came unstuck over the weekend when police stopped him while he was riding a bike along the Captain Cook Highway.
A police spokesman said the officers were investigating an unrelated matter and did not know who he was, but Rodman thought the police had come to arrest him and gave himself up.
Another police spokesman said there were no outstanding warrants for Rodman’s arrest.
The Department of Immigration refused to answer questions about where Rodman was being held or the grounds he would be deported on.
According to the department’s website, American tourist visas usually last for a maximum of 12 months.
Agencies/Canadajournal