A 49-year-old man surnamed Chen and 10 others were climbing the southern section three of the Central Mountain Range when Chen fell, fracturing his hand and suffering head injuries. Today, the Nantou County Fire Bureau requested a fourth helicopter mission to rescue Chen off the mountain.
On the 2nd, the Nantou County Government Fire Bureau received a report that a hiking group of 11 people, including a man surnamed Chen, had entered the mountains from Ruisui Township, Hualien County, to climb the southern section three of the Central Mountain Range. While passing near the base point peak of Wushuang Mountain in Xinyi Township, Nantou County, a 49-year-old man surnamed Chen fell, sustaining a head laceration and a fractured hand. He remained conscious.
The Nantou County Fire Bureau dispatched four members from the Xinyi and Yushan fire squads, along with one forest patrol officer from the Nantou Forest District Office under the Forestry Bureau, forming a five-person rescue team to reach the mountain. However, due to the long distance, it would take about three days to hike there. The fire bureau also applied for a helicopter hoist rescue to save time.
The Nantou County Fire Bureau stated that the first helicopter mission took off from Tainan Airport on the 2nd, but thick cloud cover over the target area made visibility poor, preventing a landing. The second and third missions flew over the target area on the morning and afternoon of the 3rd, respectively, but also turned back due to thick clouds and strong air currents. The injured hiker, Mr. Chen, and the other members of the group continued camping at the site, awaiting rescue, with no issues regarding communication or food supplies.
The fire bureau said that the fourth helicopter mission took off early this morning, and conditions over the target area allowed for a hoist operation. The hikers waiting in camp also lit smoke signals to mark their location for easier helicopter detection. The injured man, surnamed Chen, was successfully rescued in the morning and flown to the Training Center of the National Fire Agency in Zhushan Township, where he was transferred to Zhushan Show Chwan Hospital for treatment. The other hikers who stayed behind to accompany the injured person descended the mountain on their own. 1050504
(CNA)