Australian man found in Seattle after eight days missing

An Australian man has been found alive and well in Seattle after he vanished eight days ago from a hospital.

Stanley Haviland, 68, was found by a truck driver in bushland just kilometres down the road from where he went missing at a SeaTac hospital in Renton.

He is being treated for dehydration but Valley Medical Centre emergency department medical director Cameron Buck said he's "alert and sharp".

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Buck added it "defies common sense" that Haviland was missing without food and water for eight days.

"It speaks to Stanley's character and strength that he sustained enough hydration not to get critically ill," he said.

Haviland's nephews were elated that he was found and can't wait to take him back to Australia.

"He's one tough bastard. He's been there for 8 days. He said he's had one bottle of water in eight days, he was freezing his ass off, it was amazing," his nephews said.

"For the condition he's in, he's a tough guy."

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Detective Robert Onishi said finding Haviland was the good news police rarely get.

"It's so good to have a happy ending to this," he said.

"He seems to be in incredible shape for all the time he was out and about without food and water and shelter thousands of miles from home."

When he went missing, Haviland was being treated at a SeaTac hospital for confusion before he checked himself out and left the facility on foot.

Haviland did not return to his hotel to check out or gather his belongings and he later missed his return flight to Australia.