A hiker was trapped on an undeveloped mountain in Songshan, Yanqing. Firefighters used axes to clear a path and, after five hours of search and rescue, successfully brought the hiker to safety.
Locating the Hiker and Clearing a Path with Axes for the Rescue
On the afternoon of June 17, the Songshan Fire Brigade in Yanqing received a distress call reporting that a hiker was trapped on Songshan in Yanqing and unable to descend. However, the hiker could not clearly state their exact location, and their mobile phone only had 10% battery left. The firefighters instructed the hiker to use a portable GPS device to determine their location and send it to them.
But just as the firefighters received the hiker’s location SMS, they found that the hiker’s phone had gone dead. At around 5:30 p.m., the firefighters asked local villagers familiar with the terrain to join the search, bringing ropes, flashlights, food, and water to begin climbing the mountain. Since the mountain where the hiker was trapped was undeveloped wilderness with virtually no paths, the firefighters had to use axes to hack through bushes and clear a way.
Climbing Three Peaks to Rescue the Hiker by Day’s End
After nearly three hours of searching, at 7:55 p.m. that day, the rescue team finally spotted the trapped hiker after climbing over the third peak. “Finally, you’re here. I’m dying of thirst.” By then, the hiker was severely dehydrated and almost exhausted. Upon receiving the bottled water handed to him by the firefighters, he drank an entire bottle in one go.
It was learned that the man, in his twenties, had set out alone the day before from near Diquan Mountain Villa in Zhangshanying Town, attempting to climb to the highest point. But after several hours of hiking, he lost his way. As he had no professional gear except for a GPS locator and had run out of the water he brought, he had no choice but to call 119 for help. Around 9:30 p.m., the firefighters successfully brought the man down the mountain, five hours after he made the call. After being questioned by police officers, the man returned safely to the urban area.
Fire Department Reminder
This morning, staff from the Songshan Fire Brigade said this was the first hiker rescue call they had received this year.
It was reported that the period from June to October is the peak tourist season, and also the time when getting lost and injuries occur most frequently. Last year, there were four such incidents of hikers getting lost or injured here. Firefighters remind tourists not to challenge undeveloped mountains on their own.
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