A 67-year-old man surnamed Yan and his 63-year-old wife from Taipei, who enjoy hiking, took a bus to Shuangxi District at 10 a.m. yesterday (the 8th) planning to hike up “San Fen Er Shan” along the Shuangtai Highway. Although the couple had previously attempted this ancient trail once before without completing it, they were determined to finish it this time. However, due to poor weather and limited visibility caused by the rain, they got lost. It wasn’t until 11 p.m., when they were still unable to find a way down the mountain, that they called for help.
After receiving the report, Ruifang Police Precinct and the local fire department used the coordinates provided by the callers. After analysis by professionals, it was determined that the hikers were likely still within the mountainous area stretching from Shoushan Temple toward Hengshan. However, due to the heavy rain, an exit could not be found. Considering that the hikers had no camping gear and despite the late hour and ongoing downpour, Fu Zhiwen, deputy director of Ruifang Police Precinct’s Taiping Police Station, along with the Shuangxi Fire Station, quickly assembled a joint police and firefighter rescue team of 20 members and headed into the mountains for an immediate rescue operation.
Relying on experience, the rescue team determined that the Yan couple were still on the correct route but were unable to find an exit due to the heavy rain, darkness, and lack of light. After four hours of searching, the team successfully located the couple on the hiking trail at 4:50 a.m. this morning. Fortunately, both were conscious and unharmed. They were all safely brought down the mountain by 7:50 a.m. The Yan couple expressed their embarrassment over the large-scale rescue effort and were deeply grateful for the assistance from the police and firefighters.
Chen Liangde, chief of Ruifang Police Precinct, reminded the public that while mountain scenery is beautiful, it also holds hidden dangers that can easily cause hikers to lose their way. He advised people to remember that mountain conditions can change rapidly and urged against entering the mountains in bad weather. While enjoying the scenery, it’s essential to constantly verify that you are on the right path to avoid endangering your own safety.
(China Times)