Immediate rescue underway. Li Minghan, a 29-year-old hiker, was trekking solo across the Central Mountain Range last month when he accidentally fell into a valley and broke his left leg. After being out of contact for 30 days, he miraculously managed to call for help via his mobile phone. With torrential rains hitting Taiwan, a team of elite rescuers from Hualien’s police and fire departments set off into the mountains yesterday despite the downpour. They are expected to hike for five days to reach the area where Li is trapped.
The Hualien County Fire Bureau said that after receiving good news the day before, morale among the rescuers soared. At around 9 a.m. yesterday, seven members of the advance command post, including Liu Yin-qiao, along with firefighters Ye Mingxiu, veteran ranger Li Wenxiong, Bunun tribesman Gao Yingshan and Wei Youren from Zhuoxi Township, as well as hikers Ye Zhaoyong and Huang Yaohuo—all seasoned rescue personnel—departed from Chinan in Shoufeng Township.
Wang Mingzhong, head of the Fire Bureau’s Second Division, said that Li Minghan made a total of seven emergency calls the previous morning. Two of them were unclear due to poor signal, but authorities gradually learned that he had fallen into a valley, fracturing his left calf. He managed to climb up to a ridge and set up camp while awaiting rescue. However, he faced a shortage of food. Yesterday morning, Li also attempted to make emergency calls, but poor signal hampered communication.
The fire department stated that they believe Li is trapped near the 2,457-meter peak ridge around Dahuishan. The horizontal distance on the map alone is about 10 kilometers. Due to dense jungle and heavy rain in the mountains, the rescue progress has been affected. On the first day, despite hiking through the rain, they managed to cover approximately 5 kilometers and are expected to reach the area where Li is trapped by the 19th.
Wang Mingzhong said that facing the harsh mountain weather, rescuers are not only carrying communication tools such as satellite phones and radios, but are also conducting regular safety reports three times a day—morning, noon, and evening. They are also praying for the rains to let up. In addition, they continue to assess weather conditions every morning, and will dispatch a helicopter for a hoist rescue or airdrop of supplies as soon as the weather improves, hoping to bring Li down from the mountain as quickly as possible.