In Taitung, two separate accidents occurred late last night and noon yesterday, resulting in one death and two injuries. Three Bunun hunters were shot while hunting wild boars—one died and another was injured. Separately, three people from Hualien searching for clouded leopards had one fall into a valley with broken limbs; rescue workers will attempt to retrieve him today.
Three Bunun hunters surnamed Kuo, Chiu, and Yu from Guanping Township, Taitung County, received reports that wild boars in the Qilin Mountain area of Heping Village, Chenggong Town, were damaging crops. Late last night, Kuo Chin-hui (40) and Chiu Cheng-chung (45) each took a homemade hunting rifle into the mountains to hunt wild boars, while Yu stayed in the vehicle.
Chiu and Kuo walked in single file, with Kuo carrying his rifle on his shoulder and holding the muzzle with his left hand. After walking less than ten meters, the gun snagged on a vine, causing the trigger to fire. Kuo Chin-hui’s left ring finger was shattered. Because it was a shotgun, Chiu Cheng-chung, who was walking ahead, suffered 13 pellet wounds to his left back and sustained serious injuries. He later died despite medical treatment.
After the incident, Kuo Chin-hui hid both hunting rifles in the bushes and falsely claimed that Chiu Cheng-chung’s rifle had exploded. The Chengkung Police Precinct found the two homemade rifles and 17 bullets at the scene yesterday and referred the case for alleged negligent homicide and violation of firearms and ammunition control laws.
Separately, three hikers from Fuli Township, Hualien, claimed they had previously spotted traces of clouded leopards around Dahuanghu and Xiaohuanghu lakes. This time, they planned to approach Neibenlu and the large and small Huanghu lakes via the Lijia Forest Road to search for the nearly extinct clouded leopards.
Yesterday morning, a hiker surnamed Wang accidentally fell into a valley dozens of meters deep on the 23rd kilometer of the Lijia Forest Road. Due to the steep cliffs at the site, the rescue operation is highly challenging and will only be attempted today.
The hiker surnamed Wang suffered a fractured right arm and head injuries but is not in critical condition. Seven rescuers are currently staying with him at the scene.