A 21-member hiking team from Xiulin Township, Hualien, took advantage of the 228 holiday to undertake the “Haimu Mountain Patrol Road Trek.” The day before completing the hike and heading down, Yang, a fourth-year student at National Taiwan Normal University, is believed to have gotten lost while admiring the scenery and taking photos. Unable to find him, his teammates reported the situation and sought police help. Officers searched the mountain after dark and eventually located the frightened Yang.
Authorities in Xincheng noted that Yang, who had signed up for the hike, was originally walking in the middle of the group. However, he was so captivated by the mountain gorges that he kept stopping to take pictures, unknowingly becoming the last person in the line. Other hikers noticed Yang’s fascination with the views and kindly reminded him not to stray from the group. But when Yang reached the fork at Jiumei Bridge, he turned right on his own and walked into Zhucun, thus getting separated from the group.
After receiving the report, Deputy Chief Li Zhiquan of Tianxiang Police Station, along with three officers from the Hualien Forest Police Bureau, immediately entered the mountain equipped with ropes, a first aid kit, and lighting gear. They finally spotted Yang near Zhongxiao Suspension Bridge around 8:30 p.m., then contacted other search party members, and the group descended together after 10 p.m.
The team leader, surnamed Chen, said that because they were rushing to leave Tianxiang before the 6 p.m. closure of the Central Cross-Island Highway, they quickened their descent. Unexpectedly, a team member got lost. It is believed Yang took a wrong turn but fortunately realized it and retraced his steps while shouting along the way, which helped the police locate him.
Police stated that Yang was found in a state of panic. Due to the incident, the group missed the highway closure deadline and had to camp overnight in Tianxiang. Yang expressed deep regret to his teammates. Authorities also pointed out that the hiking route was the site of an elderly man’s fatal fall off a cliff earlier last year, reminding hikers to stay aware of their footing even while enjoying the scenery.