Two Dutch students who went missing with an English friend in Turkey last week have been found safe and well by rescue workers.

The three students were following the Lycian Way, a long distance walk around part of the Turkish coast, when they ran into difficulties. It is unclear from the media reports why the students – two men and one woman – were in trouble.

On Saturday they managed to phone the emergency services and alert them to the fact they needed rescuing. Three helicopters were used in the hunt for the missing students while 100 people were searching for them on the ground.

The three, who have since been reunited with family according to Turkish media, were spotted late on Sunday afternoon.

All three are students on an international exchange programme at Bogazici University in Istanbul.