A 31-year-old man surnamed Xie and a 27-year-old woman surnamed Feng went hiking together in Yangmingshan yesterday afternoon. Unfamiliar with the terrain, they got lost on the Dutch Trail at Qintian Gang and, with no mobile phone signal, were stranded in the mountains overnight. Fortunately, they climbed to the top of a mountain this morning, where they regained a signal and were able to call for help. Police and firefighters then organized a search and rescue team to locate and rescue them.
Shilin District Police Station’s Shanzihou Precinct received a report at 7:52 a.m. today from a member of the public stating that a male and female hiker were lost in the mountains on the Dutch Trail at Qintian Gang. Officer Chen Yanren immediately went to the Qintian Gang Visitor Center to meet with firefighters, but since the hikers didn’t know their exact location, firefighters guided them to use the Taiwan Geo Compass app to pinpoint their latitude and longitude. Officer Chen then formed a search and rescue team with firefighting units and others to enter the mountains. Around noon, they finally found the lost couple—Mr. Xie and Ms. Feng—on the way from Qintian Gang toward Pingding Ancient Canal.
The couple said they had started walking from Qingfeng Pavilion at圣人 Waterfall toward Qintian Gang around 2:30 p.m. on the 26th. Unfamiliar with the route and without any clear landmarks, and with no mobile signal in the mountains to check directions, they became lost and ended up spending the entire night in the mountains. Cold and hungry, they relied only on their clothing for warmth and an umbrella for shelter from the wind and rain.
At around 6:30 a.m. this morning, as it began to get light, the two continued walking to find a way out. They climbed to an unidentified mountaintop where they discovered their phones had a signal, allowing them to make an emergency call for help. Fortunately, rescue and police personnel arrived quickly after being notified and helped them get to safety.
The Shilin District Police Department stated that due to the recent seasonal transition, weather conditions have been highly changeable, often bringing heavy rain or thick fog. The department reminds the public who wish to go hiking to always check the weather forecast beforehand and avoid venturing into the mountains recklessly to prevent putting themselves in danger.
(China Times)