Yesterday morning, 70 scouts from a troop in Xindian District, New Taipei City, including 48 adults and 22 schoolchildren, went hiking and trekking in areas such as Ruifang’s Jinguashi. Due to unfamiliarity with the terrain, the group of 70 became lost in the mountains and were stranded for nearly four hours. As it grew darker and colder, the leaders had no choice but to call for help from the fire department around 5 p.m. Fortunately, after a search and rescue operation, all 70 people were found at the Lile Copper Smelter in Ruifang District, New Taipei City. All are safe and are currently being escorted down the mountain by firefighters.
The New Taipei City Fire Department received the report yesterday afternoon and immediately dispatched four teams — the squadron, Ruifang, Jiufen, and Xiufeng — with a total of 34 personnel to search the mountains. After three hours of searching, they found the group around 9 p.m. at the Lile Copper Smelter in Ruifang, New Taipei City. Fortunately, there were no injuries, but due to the darkness, they are currently being escorted out of the mountains by firefighters.
According to local residents, the area near Shuishe Cave in Ruifang, close to the Nanya Mountain region of Jinguashi, features steep terrain and challenging mountain ridgelines, making it a popular spot for experienced hikers to test their skills every year. As such, many are puzzled as to why a scout troop would bring over 20 students to hold an activity in this location.
(China Times)