At approximately 11:50 PM on a recent day, Officer Yang Zhixiong of the Fushan Police Station under the Xindian Precinct of New Taipei City Police Department received a report from the public stating that two hikers were stranded on the Hupen Ancient Trail and needed police assistance. Upon receiving the report, the police immediately notified the fire department and joined the search and rescue task force to head to the scene.
According to the police investigation, a group of hikers organized an online hike up the Hupen Ancient Trail, with a total of 21 participants. On the afternoon of the 12th, they entered the trail and set up camp at the 10-kilometer mark. On the morning of the 13th, while on their way back, Mr. Wu, one of the hikers, began to feel unwell and rested by the trail before accidentally getting separated from the group. When the hiking party counted heads during their descent, they realized one person was missing. Mr. Wang, another hiker, turned back to look for him, but in the end, neither of the two could be contacted. Around 11 PM on the 13th, fellow hikers, realizing the seriousness of the situation, quickly reported it to the police.
That night, police from Xindian and rescuers from the fire department entered the Hupen Ancient Trail to conduct the search. At around 2:30 AM on the 14th, the two lost men were found at the 1-kilometer point of the trail. Mr. Wu, aside from being physically exhausted, was otherwise unharmed. He expressed deep gratitude for the help of the police and firefighters, bringing an end to this harrowing trail experience. Authorities also reminded hikers that group hikes should involve at least two people staying together and advised against straying from the group to avoid accidents.
(China Times)