A DUTCH TOURIST who went missing while walking in Spain has been found alive at the bottom of a ravine almost three weeks after disappearing.

Mary-Anne Goossens had been missing for 19 days when she was discovered by climbers in Andalucia early on Wednesday. The 48-year-old mother of two had become lost while walking in the Spanish countryside and survived without food or shelter by drinking water from the Chillar river, the Telegraph reports.

She is said to be weak and hungry but in otherwise perfect health – a fact that rescuers are labelling a “true miracle”.

Gooseens’ family raised the alarm when they failed to hear from her during her ten-day trip, and managed to trace her last known movements to 17 June, at the village of Frigiliana. The village is often visited by tourists keen to explore a nearby natural park.

Although the many of the details of Gooseen’s ordeal are not yet known, it is believed that she became lost and walked for some days in the hopes of finding a village. After a few days she decided it best to stay near to water and wait to be rescued.

She was discovered by accident by a group of mountaineers on Wednesday. They were unable to rescue her themselves but left her food and clothing while they rushed back for help, reports the Herald Sun.