A 53-year-old man surnamed Zhang went hiking for exercise on Dongyanshan in Fuxing District, Taoyuan City, yesterday morning with his friend surnamed Huang. Along the way, they ran into other hikers who warmly invited them to share in some drunken chicken (a dish made with chicken and rice wine) and alcoholic drinks. However, Zhang reportedly couldn’t handle the alcohol, became weak all over, and was unable to walk down the mountain. As it grew dark and temperatures dropped rapidly, Huang grew worried that Zhang might suffer from hypothermia and quickly contacted the Daxi Precinct for help. Firefighters were called in to join the rescue mission, and together they managed to safely bring Zhang down the mountain.
The police precinct stated that after receiving the report, Xianyun Police Station immediately dispatched Officer Wang Wuxiong along with five firefighters to begin the mountain rescue. Due to the darkness after nightfall and muddy, rugged paths worsened by recent rain, the search and rescue efforts faced significant challenges.
Eventually, officers and rescuers searched along the hiking trail and, after about five hours—around 10:00 p.m.—they found Zhang, who was completely weak and unable to move, along with his companion Huang, in the mountainous area near the New Taipei City border.
Police reminded the public that mountain weather can change rapidly, with temperatures often dropping sharply after dark. Hikers are advised to carry sufficient gear, plan their routes in advance, and absolutely avoid drinking alcohol in mountainous areas to prevent accidents.
★ China Times ePaper Cares: Excessive drinking is harmful to health.
(China Times)