The air is cold and damp, slicing through Luke Shambrook’s thin clothing.

For the fifth day, the hungry and dehydrated 11-year-old boy stumbles through dense bushland and rocky terrain, far from his parents.

Weary, he sits down in the dirt, shivering with hypothermia but miraculously uninjured.

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• ‘Fantastic discovery’: boy found alive
• Missing 11yo boy’s beanie found
• Family ‘glimpses’ autistic boy lost in Victoria

In the distance, a faint whir becomes a roar.

Despite fading hopes, rescue crews have refused to give up the search for Luke since he disappeared from a camping ground near Lake Eildon, north-east of Victoria, on Friday morning.

Luke Shambrook reunites with his mother after five days lost in bushland. Photo: Twitter

A glimpsed sighting by a policeman in a helicopter brings the five day ordeal to an end at 11:30am on Tuesday.

“Just out of the corner of my eye I caught a flash of something,” says Police Air Wing Acting Sergeant Brad Pascoe.

“It wasn’t much, but it was enough for me to make the guys turn the aircraft around and go back and have a further look,” he says.

Emergency officers flock to the boy, carrying him away from the harsh conditions that one medical experts says could easily have killed.

“After five days people would definitely begin to think there could have been a bad outcome,” Australian National University senior clinical lecturer Dr Caldicott says.

“Certainly in the worst case scenario it would be more than long enough for someone to succumb to those conditions.”

Being autistic may have helped the lost boy, says AMAZE (Autism Victoria) CEO Fiona Sharkey.

Crews worked through rainy conditions on the fifth day of the search. Photo: ABC

A common trait of those on the autism spectrum is remembering details and becoming an expert on specific topics.

Being a frequent camper near Lake Eildon may have made Luke more resilient during his five day ordeal.

“He might have been very familiar with the camping area, more so than someone without autism,” Ms Sharkey says.

Sadly, his autism may also explain why he went missing.

“There could have been something that didn’t agree with Luke, like a loud noise, that made him walk away to avoid it.

“Or, he might have seen something like the light through the trees or a reflection on the water, that is attractive to them and make them walk towards that.”

Victorian State Emergency Service’s Frank Zgoznik was in the search group that found Luke’s beanie on Monday, which reignited hopes he could be found alive.

The Shamrock family with Luke, far left. Photo: AAP

Found on a steep spur in an unusual location, the hat gave a vital clue to where the boy was heading, Mr Zgoznik says.

“We were just over the moon, all of us in the crew are parents, and we can only imagine what the parent’s of Luke have been going through.”

Some of the rescuers had been walking through the bush for four days straight.

“You know what the weather has been like, it’s been cold, so there was lots of concern for the boy,” he says.

Luke’s uncle, Peter Roberts, spoke though tears on behalf of his family on Tuesday, saying they were “rejoicing” and “relieved”.

“It’s just a relief that Luke has been found alive and well after such a long time.

“We are so happy we live in a community that puts in a lot of effort in helping (to find those who are lost).”

As of Tuesday evening, Luke was being treated in the Royal Childrens’ Hospital in Melbourne for dehydration and hypothermia.

ABC news has just announced that Luke Shambrook has been spotted alive by a police helicopter – his exact… http://t.co/fLeWtOIrd0 — AutismVictoria/Amaze (@autismvictoria) April 7, 2015

Really thankful Luke Shambrook was found – autistic and lost in the bush for 5 days. its some miracle he survived.

— joel rayner (@joe_n1nety) April 7, 2015

@brendongale25:Heroic effort by @VictoriaPolice Air Wing to simply not give up on young Luke Shambrook & his family @Hangas75 @KelstarMagic — Vince Gagliardi (@vg12) April 7, 2015